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Going out to dinner alone isn’t as scary as you think.
Nothing could be more nerve-racking thaneating in a restaurant aloneexcept fora solo vacation.
How scary would that be?
Are you breaking into a cold sweat yet?
Its generally frowned upon todo thingsalone.
Every single experience was a 0/10, which means it was not scary at all.
Vacations rarelymake it out of the group chatand its also becoming increasingly common tocancel plans at the last minute.
The perception of doing things alone has shifted significantly in recent years, saysDr.
Patricia S. Dixon, a licensed clinical psychologist and life coach based in Tampa Bay, Florida.
Instead of feeling embarrassed, people now view solo activities as a personal challenge and an admirable pursuit.
It helps you build a relationship with yourself and makes you less reliant on others.
People are beginning to understand that spending time alone is integral to emotional well-being, Dixon tells Bustle.
It also allows you to check things off your bucket list.
If someone can’t join you at the moment, go ahead and pursue your interests.
This approach allows you to truly live in the moment, rather than putting your life on hold.
According to Dixon, its natural to be scared.
Many people fear looking foolish or not knowing how to navigate an activity on their own, she says.
There’s also a genuine concern about feeling lonely during the experience.
If you want to do things alone, she recommends starting small.
Think of going to a movie or grabbing a quick lunch in a cafe.
Then you’re able to slowly build up to bigger trips or even vacations if you want.
But once we take that initial step, we often realize that our fears are unfounded.
Source:
Dr. Patricia S. Dixon, licensed clinical psychologist, author, life coach
