Do you like being alone? Do you know how to keep yourself occupied, by yourself, without talking or interacting with another person? Do you look forward to spending time by yourself? Do you enjoy your own company? Or do you feel as if you’re suffocating without anyone to keep you company?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions, then you need to start doing things on your own. It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of a daily routine that you forget to take a step back and give yourself some much-needed alone time. Everyone needs some ‘me’ time to recharge and regroup. There’s nothing wrong or sad or pathetic with doing things by yourself. In fact, you should look forward to doing so, from time to time. It’ll do you good.
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Here’s a list of fun things to do by yourself and have an amazing time entertaining yourself!
1. Have a spa day.
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Book a massage, a mani-pedi, a facial, a sauna – whatever your heart desires and pamper yourself silly! Whether you’ve had a stressful week or month, this is the perfect way to unwind and spend some time alone, with nothing and no one to bother your solitude. Just stare at the floor and thinking about… absolutely nothing!
2. Watch a movie in the theater.
A badly made movie where all the actors are hamming it up, or an embarrassing flick that you secretly love but vilify publicly – take your pick and watch it alone. With no one to share your popcorn with, you can cry, laugh, swear, or swoon alone in the corner. Who cares, yeah? No one besides you who knows you!
3. Treat yourself to fancy dinner.
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Not many people feel comfortable eating dinner by themselves at a restaurant. Most people think it’s pathetic, if not downright sad. However, bringing a book with you will make a lot of difference to this experience. Mind you, choose a book that is interesting and can hold your attention. What’s more irresistible than scrumptious food and a good book? Don’t look at your phone for the duration of the meal, if you can help it. Enjoy every part of the experience, from ordering a glass of your favorite wine, appetizer, the main course, and the dessert. Trust me, it’s an experience like no other.
4. Take a class.
Look up a new class near you and sign up for it. It could be anything from a Pilates class or a dance class (any dance form), a cooking class, skating class, or even a yoga class. Whatever seems interesting to you, just sign up for it and immerse yourself in it. Along with learning new skills, you’ll make new friends, not to mention the confidence you’ll gain in the process.
5. Travel somewhere solo.
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The best part about traveling solo is you can go wherever you want, do whatever you want, without having to compromise on what sights to see, where to eat, where to stay, and what activities to do. However, traveling alone gives you free rein to do so at your own pace, with no pressures, giving you the luxury of soaking it all up, just like you want to. Even if the trip is to the next town over, just do it.
6. Take on a DIY project.
The internet, especially Pinterest, is a treasure trove of awesome and often easy DIY projects. Take one up and start doing it yourself! It’ll add to the décor of your home, and you can show it off to your friends and family to be admired.
7. Bake a cake.
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Most people are intimidated by a cake recipe, the required ingredients, tools and the whole baking process in general. However, it’s not that complicated or intimidating, once you’ve figured out what a beginner needs to know. The happiness and gratification of successfully baking a cake and eating it is unparalleled! Trust me, you’ll feel nine feet tall!
8. Tour a museum/gallery.
When you take someone with you to a museum or a gallery, it’s always been hurried, without taking the time to admire and soak in the artifacts. Set out to soak in every piece of art and history your local museum or gallery has to offer, by spending as much time as you want interpreting them.
9. Go on a long drive by yourself.
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Not within the city limits though. Get lost in the outskirts of your city, blast your favorite music, and literally drive off into the sunset. Driving alone can be relaxing and thrilling at the same time, with the windows down and the music up.
10. Get lost in a bookstore.
Granted that online shopping has ruined the book shopping experience, but you can still spend hours on end exploring every genre of book ever written. Bookstores usually have comfy couches and chairs and reading nooks for bookworms. Spend the entire day there, reading what interests you. Whether you buy the book or not is beside the point. You spending time alone with just a book for company is what matters.
11. Take a hike.
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Literally! Find a tranquil place and hike there, with just nature and your thoughts to keep you company. It will soothe your soul, while rejuvenating your mind and body.
12. Binge watch a TV show.
At the face of it, this might seem like a waste of time, but trust me, binge watching a TV show is like no other experience. There’s always another great show to catch up on, and so little time to do so. So tune up your Netflix and get bingeing! Oh, and don’t forget the popcorn and the soda!
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13. Unplug for 24 hours.
No phone, no internet, no laptop, no TV – just be alone with your thoughts. Do this regularly, and you’ll see how much you look forward to doing things by yourself.
14. Go to a free gig.
There are always free gigs playing at pubs, clubs, or discos. Find a band that is playing in your area, or even someone new, and go catch their show. Going to a concert alone will let you focus on the music alone, while leaving aside everything else that you’re always worried about.
15. People watch.
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People watching is an endangered art that needs to be revived. Go to a public place, like a mall or a park or even a bus stop, sit back, get comfortable, and enjoy the free show. It’s always interesting to see different kinds of people – sometimes sweet, sometimes hilarious, sometimes sad, and even sometimes, it’ll give you some stuff to think through, too.
16. Create a piece of art.
It doesn’t matter if you’ve never held a paintbrush or clay in your hand, because you don’t need to be creative to let your imagination fly. Experiment with various types of paints, try your hand at making small clay sculptures, or jewelry, or even craft something, like a teddy bear or a stuffed bunny rabbit. It’ll not only sharpen your creative abilities, it’ll also give you a fresh perspective on life.
17. Sing karaoke.
Are you embarrassed that you don’t have the greatest singing voice? Don’t be. Karaoke is all about letting loose and having fun, without having to worry about your voice. In fact, karaoke is less about your singing voice, than it is about having fun. So sing your heart out to a bunch of strangers, without any hesitation.
18. Go shopping alone.
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Going shopping alone seems kinda sad, but it’s not. You don’t have to buy things that your friends or our boyfriend likes; just buy what catches your fancy. In fact, go bold and try on and buy outfits you’d never buy regularly. Take all the time you need to browse through the collections and get the best ones at your own pace. Sounds good, innit?
19. Tick off a fitness goal.
If you have a complicated relationship with exercise, now’s the time to do something about it. Whether it’s signing up for a 5K run, or learning a new sport, or starting running, just put on your athletic shoes and do it. You’ll definitely look back on this and feel great about yourself. It’ll not only boost your confidence, it will also help kick start your fit lifestyle, that you’ve always wanted to do.
20. Get cooking.
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Get experimental in the kitchen by trying your hand at new and exotic cuisines. The internet is a godsend to trying out new recipes. You can find recipes and instructional videos for pretty much every type of cuisine there is in the world. You just need to start experimenting. Whether or not you succeed in your attempt is secondary; the fact that you tried something new is the kicker.
21. Stargaze.
Go to the roof of your building, or your backyard, lie down on a blanket, and marvel the stupendously vast universe laid out above you. It might make you realize your own utter smallness in the face of the universe, but it’s a humbling and poignant experience.
22. Write a letter.
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Yes, a letter you write on a paper, with your hand. Reach out to someone you’ve lost touch with, or sign up for a pen pal program. Pour your heart out, let the words flow, and make an impact with your letter. Take this opportunity to let someone you care about know how much they mean to you, because what people regret are the things they never said and did. Don’t be that person.
23. Take a hot bath.
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Something as simple as taking a long, relaxing, hot bath can soothe you like nothing else will. Indulge your senses and yourself with a bubble bath, with some scented candles and glass of wine to keep you company. Oh, and don’t forget the soothing music to engulf you in a warm cocoon of bliss.
24. Walk down memory lane.
I’m sure you have plenty of photos and albums from your childhood. Take a walk through memory lane and see how much everyone has changed, including yourself, over the intervening years. Another fun thing you can do is to scan the pictures onto your computer, so that they won’t ever be lost.
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25. Write.
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You don’t have to be Shakespeare to pen down your thoughts. Grab a book and a pen, and start writing. Pen down what comes to your mind – your work, your life in general, your love life, your friends, family, and colleagues – anything that you want to look back on over time.
See? There are tons of fun things to do by yourself, without having to rely on others. You just need to have the will to do so. Before you talk yourself out of doing things by yourself, just do it. Trust me, you won’t regret it!
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