The Power of Being Alone….

Have you ever considered what percentage of your life you spend alone? From the time of your birth to the moment you die, I wonder how much time most people spend alone? The statistics indicate that the time you spend alone will increase as you age. People under the age of 40 spend about 3.5 hours alone. People between 40 and 59 years old spend about 4 hours and 45 minutes alone. People 60 and older spend about 7 hours alone. Does this information feel true for you?

I certainly feel as though my time alone has increased with my years. During my childhood and adolescence I would try my best to get away from others by hiding inside my room, going for long bike rides on my 10-speed and shutting myself inside the bathroom for hours. I grew up during a time when cell phones or the internet were not available to me. These times that I spent alone were spent reading books (I loved fantasy adventure books), painting or listening to music. 

As a very young girl, I have memories of playing with my toys on the floor and watching my mother cook and clean my childhood home. Now at the age of 47 it has been increasingly challenging for me to intentionally take time alone without some sort of distraction from the outside world. Social media and online information has become a normal part of our everyday life and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. If anything, humans will find more interesting ways to look outside of themselves for distraction. 

I would like to be a person who advocates for as much time alone as possible, without your phone. These precious moments that are available to us are not a waste of time. Even if you are not looking at the latest Twitter thread, your time in nature or laying in bed with a good book are so valuable to your mental health. The power available to you in your alone time equates to more self-awareness, more self appreciation, less stress, more emotional regulation and overall more potency in your relationships when you do decide to engage with others. 

Now that my children are adults or nearing adulthood, I can truly enjoy my time alone and make it a priority. I deeply value those times of respite and rejuvenation in my life. I remember craving them deeply as a young mother of five, with literally no time to myself. Now here I am in my grandmother phase and asking all of you to consider the power of being alone. I challenge you to set aside time in your busy day, for even just 30 minutes, to take a bath, lay in bed and focus on your breathing or take a walk alone in nature. 

This time spent alone is priceless and when you look back upon your life chances are you wish that you had more time to yourself. Parents especially need to fill up their cups in order to be fully present with their children. Lovers need time apart to truly appreciate each other’s presence. If you need support and guidance in structuring your day so that you can get alone time, please reach out to me. I would love to listen to you and help you find solutions for reducing stress and making space for self-nourishment. Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter for more information and resources as we all learn how to embody radical self love and healthy relating. 

Much Aloha,

Athena Rose

Luminated Heart Healing Arts.