I came upon a very interesting article yesterday – about solitude and how, women especially, need more quiet time and those moments, when no one, truly nobody, disturbs our life. I do not go as far as to say that our partner, children or friends are a distraction. However, from time to time it is crucial to make some space for ourselves and enjoy the quietness of our home or a quick nature getaway, where there is only us and the colours of the magical woods. It is friends that play an important role in this story, the ones we share an all-female energy with, those that we can talk to calmly and sincerely, the ones we share our deepest thoughts and our outlook on life with. We’re usually surrounded with people who are our mirrors: they’re like us, for better or worse. Sometimes there is someone in the bunch, who represents our dark side – and that can be an interesting experience, in a way. It’s the person we can hang out with occasionally, but don’t really like; and when they keep finding their way back into our lives, there is a big chance they have some of the same personality traits as we do ourselves, even if those are negative. Quite difficult to accept, wouldn’t you agree? I think about it a lot and always try to be aware of these characteristics in order to /improve /work on/ myself. What matters at the end of the day is to keep our conscience clear and have a positive influence on our surroundings.
photo: Cerruti Alessandro
Solitude makes it easier for us to gather our thoughts, work on our own Self, and enjoy our own company, because we are our own best friends. Keeping this in mind, we could say that even when we’re going through a very difficult time and feel that we could use some advice or a pep talk from someone close, the truth is that all the answers are already within us. We just have to look – not even search, just look. It’s good to break our daily routine, so psychologists advise to take a weekend or at least a day to spend alone and clear our thoughts. I have noticed that my work related travels often have a lot to do with soul-searching. When I’m in a hotel and don’t know anybody, except for the cameraman, I can take more time to do all the little rituals that make me happy; as well as to write, to think out-loud, or perhaps write a long e-mail or make a telephone call I don’t otherwise have the time to get around to.
photo: Pinterest
If you’re traveling with your family, you can make a compromise: it’s important to get a few hours to yourself, if you need them, and just unplug from everything. Even a couple of hours walking around a city you like, or outdoors in the fresh air, even just spending some time in a coffee place in the company of a good book, can mean a world of difference. If you’re feeling anxious, like you can’t handle things, you should know, it’s time for You. It’s quite important not to get scared, because it’s precisely the lack of time that can bring on some negative or depressive thoughts. You can recognise it by feeling irritated or feeling like you just can’t be bothered, it’s all the same. Even weather, like fog, rain or less day light, can enhance a feeling like this. So be aware of the signals your body is sending you and remember not to dismiss them. The speed of life can get crazy, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that now and then you need a getaway. Personally, I love some girl time, just drinking coffee with my friends and chatting away, but I admit that I also need quiet times when I stay at home in my slippers, baking cookies, with the telephone screen black. That’s life too.
photo: Pinterest
