Things You Should Try On Your Own At Least Once
Isn’t it kinda weird how you’re always expected to be doing something with someone else? Eating out, going for a coffee, a trip to the cinema, a holiday; there are all presenting as things you should do with someone else beside you, in theory.
Yes, we are social creatures by habit, but some times it’s just nice to be your own company and do things on your own. There’s a lot to be learned from pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and not relying on other people to do things you want to do and go places you want to go.
Here are a few things that you should try doing on your own at least once…
Go To The Cinema On Your Own
On reflection, isn’t it kinda weird how the cinema is presented as a social occasion, when you sit in the dark for two hours and don’t talk? Therefore, does it really matter if someone is with your or not?
Going to the cinema on my own for the first time was honestly a revelation. Like, it’s great to go with other people, don’t get my wrong, but on quite a few occasions in life I’ve found myself wanting to see something in the cinema and I’ve had no one to go with, so I just went on my own. It’s been a mixture of no one being interested in going to see what I want to see or having time to kill on my own on a rainy day. I’d rather go to the cinema on my own and see what I want to see rather than miss out. And you may as well be on your own anyway seeing as you can’t talk throughout the movie.
Go To A Restaurant On Your Own
I remember the first time I went to a restaurant on my own. I was in college and one evening after lectures I was just craving Chicken Teriyaki from Yamamori for dinner, so I went on my own. And let me tell you, I was so self-conscious!
I pretended to read a book just to look like I had something to do. I felt like everyone was staring at me being a weirdo on my own. In reality no one was paying the slightest bit of attention to me and I wasn’t even the only person there dining on my own.
In the years since I have eaten out on my own so many times or went for coffee by myself. It’s honestly so nice do your own thing every once in a while and not have to worry if everyone is happy with the menu etc. If there’s a restaurant you want to try and no one wants to go with you, go by yourself! Don’t rely on other people to go somewhere if you want to go.
Travel On Your Own
One of the reasons that I got so comfortable eating on my own was out of necessity, I was lucky that I got to do a lot of travel when I finished college and a lot of it was on my own. In that case it was either starve or eat by myself. I really didn’t mind though. And I also LOVE traveling by myself.
Again, I love a good trip with other people too but there is nothing so freeing as going traveling on your own. It really does push you out of your comfort zone and you learn a lot about yourself. And it is just so nice to be able to do what you want, when you want. There’s no negotiating where you’re going to go, how long you’re going to spend there, where you’re going to eat.
The few holidays that I went on my own were honestly so great. Yes, there were some downsides, it can be very lonely at times, but I would encourage everyone to take a trip on their own at least once in their life.
Go To A Concert On Your Own
I can’t tell you how many concerts I missed out on over the years because no one wanted to go with me (I have strange musical tastes, OK!) but I can tell you that after the pandemic if any one is playing who I want to see I am going, even if it’s on my own.
One of my friends went to see Demi Lavato on her own a few years ago because no one else wanted to go with her and she had the best time. By this time I was a pro at at doing things by myself, so I was shook that I had never thought about going to a concert on my own. Again, you’re in the near dark, the music is blaring, you can’t talk…why do we feel the need that we have to be with someone else to enjoy a concert?
Again, isn’t it better to go by yourself rather than miss out on something that you really want to do?
Go Shopping On Your Own
This isn’t a major one, but I remember thinking it was so cool and grown-up being able to go around the shops on my own when I was younger. And again the first time I was on my own I felt so self-conscious, now it’s just the most ordinary thing to do, but I find the downtime on my own browsing the shops at my own pace so relaxing instead of being with someone else.
The independence that comes from doing things by yourself is incredible. Even just doing small things can feel like an achievement.
It’s great to share experiences with those whom you love, but life shouldn’t be lived relying on other people all of the time. If the chance ever comes to try that new restaurant no one else is interested in, or to go to the cinema on your own or to go to a concert no one else is interested in take it with both hands. You’ll only really regret the things you don’t do.
What other things do you think you should try on your own?