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allows us to open ourselves to the
vastness of possibility.”You’ll reduce stress. “Stress
causes our bodies to enter into
the protective fight, flight or
freeze mode, which is regulated
by cortisol,” Astarte explains.
Intentional solitude, wherein you
practice what gives you joy, keeps
you in a safe state of calm so your
stress hormones are not triggered.You’ll connect with your
spirituality. “Solitude allows us
to rediscover the most elevated,
most spiritually evolved self we can
be,” Astarte says. “It gives us time to
re-familiarize ourselves with the
innate spark carried within us.”You’ll renew your energy.
Giving to others all the time — while
rewarding — also can be draining.
“It’s like having a party and filling
everyone’s glass with an empty
pitcher — there is simply not enough
to give,” Astarte says. Giving to
yourself can help replenish your
energy stores so you can return to
life with a full tank.How to Go It Alone
Solitude might not come naturally to you, but you can improve with
practice. Start with five minutes a day and gradually work your way
up to 30 minutes of uninterrupted time. Here are some tips from
Astarte for additional guidance.Go offline. Put down your phone and disconnect from social media.
This severs the continual inundation of others’ energy and allows you
to properly connect to your own.
Pick a place. Create a space for your solitude practice such as a
spot outdoors where you can reconnect to nature or a quiet room in
your home.
Find your joy. Do what you love to do most during this time with
yourself, whether it’s reading, dancing, sketching, meditating, taking a
bath or going on a long walk.
Write it out. Journaling is a powerful tool for self-connection. It
holds all your thoughts and feelings and can become an extension
of you.
Release your guilt. Take this time for you and feel good about
it, knowing that ultimately it will make you a better mother, wife,
friend and work colleague.n today’s overly connected 24/7 society, it can be
difficult to find quality time with your spouse, kids and friends
— let alone yourself. But carving out some quiet “me” time
should be on everyone’s priority list, and even a few minutes
flying solo can deliver big benefits.
“Solitude is an intentional period of time set aside to reconnect with
yourself,” says Rachel Astarte, psychotherapist, certified life coach and
author of Celebrating Solitude: How to Discover and Honor Your Highest
Self (Green Oracle Press, 2012). “Ideally, it is designed to recharge your
batteries so that you can give back to the world.”
For some people, however, solitude is uncomfortable. Maybe you
have FOMO (fear of missing out) or feel guilty prioritizing yourself over
others or equate being alone to being punished — e.g., being sent to your
room as a kid. Regardless, Astarte recommends giving it a go. Here’s why.
You’ll gain clarity. Solitude allows you to clear your mind of mental
chatter and get to the root of a problem or issue without distractions from
the outside world, according to Astarte.
You’ll boost creativity. “In true creative mode, the only voice we
need to hear is our own,” Astarte says. “It is this clarity of mind that
The power of solitude
thrive MIND BODY By Jill Schildhouse
A little alone time can make a big impact on your day.