Everywhere we turn, we're reminded that being alone is something to fix. From dating apps to social media, society feeds us the message that fulfillment comes from constant connection. We're told that loneliness is dangerous, and that being alone—especially during holidays—is something to be pitied.
But what if solitude isn't a problem to solve, but a powerful space to thrive?
This Easter, I spent the holiday alone. No family gatherings, no big dinners, no "What are you doing this weekend?" texts. And do you know what? It was one of the most productive and fulfilling longer weekends I've had in a long time. I launched my online shop featuring artistic apparel and prints, deep-cleaned and reorganized my entire apartment, and spent quality time with nature. My mind felt calm, centered, and deeply present.
We often forget that being surrounded by people doesn't always equate to connection. After spending my weekdays in an office buzzing with a hundred people, solitude didn't feel like isolation—it felt like clarity.
We live in a society designed by and for extroverts. Communication skills, sociability, and visibility are often seen as the keys to success. But where does that leave those of us who gain energy from quiet, who process the world internally, who need silence to create?
History is rich with inventions, philosophies, artworks, and ideas born in solitude. Virginia Woolf wrote of the importance of "a room of one's own." Nikola Tesla, Steve Wozniak, Georgia O'Keeffe, and countless others produced some of their most impactful work in states of intentional seclusion. Solitude isn't the enemy of progress—it's often the birthplace of it.
We need to rethink the binary of "alone = bad" and "social = good." Alone doesn't mean lonely. Alone can mean spacious. Alone can mean focused. Alone can mean free.
The real question is not whether you should choose solitude or social connection, but how to create a life that honors both. Extroverts aren't better, and introverts aren't broken. Different modes of being simply yield different kinds of magic.
So if you find yourself alone on a holiday, don't rush to fill the silence. Sit in it. Create in it. Grow in it. Your thoughts, your space, your focus—they are not just valid, they are vital.
After all, some of the most revolutionary ideas were born not in crowded rooms, but in quiet corners.
And maybe, just maybe, your best self is waiting for you there.
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