What if I told you that knowing how to be alone is a superpower? Perhaps you would find it funny, especially if you are an introverted person like me. Maybe is because being introverted is quite undervalued in the society in which we live, to the point where those of us who do enjoy being alone come to feel “ashamed” of this.
However, making time to spend by yourself every day is something we should all start doing.
All of humanity’s problems come from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.
Pascal
Pascal (1623-1662) already said it, in his work Pensées or thoughts, in English. According to this author, humans try their best not to be bored. Thus, we fill our days with activities that do not even fill us but are mere distractions. It is as if the idea of being alone and doing nothing terrifies us.
Ask yourself, how often do you do sit down and do nothing. And scrolling through your phone does not count. I mean do absolutely nothing.
The problem with the above lies in the fact that we are not able to take a moment to reflect and get to know ourselves.
When Pascal wrote his book the world was quite different from what it is now, however, the above quote is more applicable than ever.
In a world in which we are all connected and participate in the lives of others, where the opinion of strangers on social networks has more impact than that of your relatives, after all, we live in a time when distractions are always knocking at our door until we decide to turn off the WIFI.
But this is not a post about the negative aspects of social networks or digital globalization, since I think that this phenomenon has more advantages than disadvantages. However, it is increasingly difficult to find the time and desire to take a moment to disconnect from the outside world and connect with ourselves.
Introverts and the need to be alone
Personally, as an introvert, I am aware of my need to be alone to recharge during certain times of the day. Still, more and more frequently I am substituting moments when I would be alone doing nothing for being on my phone. An example is when I am in the dentist’s waiting room. About ten years ago, when I wasn’t so dependent on my phone, I would have spent half an hour doing nothing in particular: just watching and thinking about my stuff.
I think what Pascal meant by that quote is that many of the problems we perceive would have a simple solution if we stopped and reflect about them. There is a connection between the time a person spends alone with the degree of knowledge they have about themselves.
That’s why so many people decide to take a solo travel gap year just before making an important decision, like choosing a college major. They are looking to find themselves.
While perhaps Pascal is exaggerating that all the world’s problems stem from man’s inability to be alone, we should not ignore the message. Being alone leads you to know yourself better, you will know more easily what is worthwhile and what is not.
If you have never practiced meditation, and it seems like a waste of time to spend half an hour apparently doing nothing, then I recommend that you write. It is another form of meditation. Write your thoughts, your fears, your goals. The added positive aspect of writing is that after a few months you will be able to read what you wrote and you will be able to see an evolution in your personality and in your life. What worried you six months ago now seems insignificant.
This helps us to have perspective and more self-confidence when facing new challenges. We know that problems are temporary and that one day we will look back thinking how ignorant we were.
And you….how many minutes a day do you spend doing nothing?⏳⏰
- Compatibility between INFJ and ENTP in love
I have received several questions about the compatibility between INFJ and ENTP people. Are these two MBTI personalities compatible? We will see what are the complications that could occur on this type of relationship and what are the strengths. Don’t forget to leave your experience with this personality combination in the comments ! ENTPs and… Read more: Compatibility between INFJ and ENTP in love - Famous successful introverts list
One of the things I learned when I volunteered for an NGO for ethnic minorities was the importance of having role models. Being able to have someone as an example, with whom you identify and who has already achieved it. Sometimes that’s all we need: “if he can, I can too” As for introversion and… Read more: Famous successful introverts list - How to make friends as a shy introvert
Do you find it hard to make friends? or maybe you have same called friends but is difficult to make a deeper connection. In this post I would like to start by analyzing some of the mindsets that prevent us from making quality friendships as introverts. We will also see the best tricks to ensure… Read more: How to make friends as a shy introvert - Introversion and feeling lonely
Introverts need to be alone, not being lonely. Loneliness is very beautiful… when you have someone to tell it to. Gustavo Adolfo Becquer There is a big difference between being alone and being lonely. While the first is a fact and something objective, the second is a state that lasts over time and depends more… Read more: Introversion and feeling lonely - What is the rarest MBTI personality? (No longer INFJ)
For a few years I have been writing about introversion, social anxiety and the different introverted personalities. It is a subject that I am passionate about and that I study independently in my free time. In particular I write a lot about the INFJ the rarest personality (?), largely because I am an INFJ myself.… Read more: What is the rarest MBTI personality? (No longer INFJ)
