Spending time alone is a hard thing to do. For a lot of people, it’s hard to be by themselves and not feel self-conscious or lonely.
The even harder thing? Actually doing activities while you’re alone.
We’re talking going to the movies, going out to dinner, going for a hike, all by yourself.
Society doesn’t really accept those things, or at least we’re told not to accept them.
But now, more and more, people are settling down later, traveling more for work, and having less children. And that means more time for yourself.
Science says this is a good thing, as long as you’re getting out and doing something with your alone time. ##MN_RESP##
No need to worry if you feel weird buying a ticket for one to that movie you want to see. Believe it or not, you’ll feel much better than if you stayed home.
In fact, one study showed that college students who went to an art exhibit actually got the same amount of enjoyment from it whether they went together or by themselves.
So as it turns out, you may actually be missing out on a lot of experiences by being too afraid to try them on your own.
It’s pretty common to feel that way. The study said that “consumers worry that if they engage in activities alone, observers will infer that they could not find friends to accompany them.”
The study then concludes that “consumers who forego hedonic activities alone are missing out on opportunities for rewarding experiences.”
So long story short, if you’re staying at home fearing that you’ll have a bad time doing things on your own, you’re actually giving yourself a worse experience.
But if you know you’ll still enjoy it, why stay inside? Try going out for a meal and taking a book with you. Then, try going to a museum by yourself. You may find that you get a lot from the experience.
