Alone but not lonely
Alone But Not Lonely
By Aayushi Roy
I would love to begin my day with a glass of warm water, a few drops of lemon juice, and a tablespoon of honey. But, instead, I share a secret laugh with myself every day while having my first cup of coffee and rushing through my morning routine, trying to catch the college bus on time.
One would argue that waking up at 6 AM to catch the bus at 8:30 gives me plenty of time to get ready. Even I would agree with them if I didn’t know how loved I feel in the slow mornings. The first hour of the day is spent opening the kitchen window and prepping lunch for myself. I start up songs and dance my way through, cooking and taking in the aroma of spices. I take my time stretching and finding a fresh set of clothes to wear. Everything about this hour sets the mood for the day. After a refreshing bath and a change of clothes, I make my coffee. As I pour it into my favorite travel cup, I remember my intention to drink warm water first thing in the morning. And thus, my secret laugh.
In all of this, I am alone, but I never feel truly lonely, not even for a moment. It took some time, some heartaches, and some practice to fall in love with being alone. But here I am, flirting my way through life every morning and every day.
We seek out in the world what we can’t find within ourselves. I never went out to seek opinions cause I was, or am, an overthinker. I already have too many opinions within myself, so why search out others’? Instead, I caught myself seeking out love and genuine connections multiple times, most attempts resulting in sorrow and loneliness. From this, I realized the most genuine connection I must build is with myself. Why look and seek love in the outer world when I haven’t yet loved myself properly and thoroughly?
This was an eye-opener, a realization that helped me build the perfect morning routine with myself, and helped me discover my styles, likes, and dislikes. I understood then that in the past, I was waiting to take whatever fell in my hands, whether it was good for me or not. Falling in love with myself made me realize I’m worth so much more.
These days, I spend my time reading novels, exploring genres, going on solo trips, and trying new cuisines. My evenings are peaceful and loving. So, before you go out trying to find love, peace, and happiness in the world, I ask you to first find it within, because you will soon realize you’re full of good stuff, you just haven’t given yourself the chance to shine.
I ask you to
Journal, or just talk in front of the mirror.
Choose clothes that make you happy
Take yourself out on a date and eat without counting the calories
Go to the gym and workout, not because you want “the perfect body,” but because you want “the healthy body”
Have a dessert, because the day isn’t over without it
Notice little things about yourself, like how you help someone in need or how you pick up the litter and drop it in the dustbin
Notice the color of the sky and the shape of the moon
Give the sunrise a chance to bless your eyes
Try these little things, and I think you will fall in love with yourself and make the world fall in love with you. Take your alone time, make boundaries, and feel comfortable in your personal space, because once you learn this, you might be alone but never lonely.
