How to Be Alone summary

Now that you recognize the benefits of spending some time alone, you might be wondering how you’re supposed to find this peaceful solitude.

One of the best ways to find seclusion is to escape from the city and enter nature.

Most people consider it socially acceptable when someone takes an occasional hiking trip on their own or secludes themselves for a brief period to work on a project. But when it comes to people who choose solitude as a way of life, they can often be looked down upon.

This reaction is strange because modern society nurtures individualism.

Perhaps you’re curious about living a life of solitude, or maybe you’ve recently lost a partner and have suddenly found yourself alone. Whatever the case may be, there are steps you can take to feel at ease on your own.

First of all, it’s important to identify any fears you might have about being alone.

Even if you’ve come to accept that there are many benefits to solitude, you might be doubting that you’ll find the time to fit it into your busy schedule. But there are some easy ways to squeeze more alone time into your life.

One simple way is to spend more time focused on solitary activities you already enjoy.

Do you ever think back to childhood and fondly remember keeping yourself entertained with just your imagination?

As it turns out, the happiness we get from solitude can come from these experiences, which we tend to lose touch with as we get older.

Even though many of us hold on to meaningful childhood memories of solitude, few of us realize the importance of passing this along to our own children.

Because, in today’s society, it’s more common for parents to teach their children about the dangers of being alone. Kids are thus denied the chance to learn the important benefits of solitude.

You might think that the amount of alone time a person needs comes down to one simple question: Is she an introvert - someone who is shy, or an extrovert - someone who is socially outgoing?

But it’s not that simple.