It was the year 2016, I had just come back from vacation and the movie “Suicide Squad” was about to leave theatres. I was still off from work, so I decided to catch the matinee showing by myself. My initial feelings were ones of fear, so I sat closer to the top, in an aisle seat, trying not to be seen. In the end, the theatre was not crowded and I even saw one or two people who were also alone. Slowly I started to feel a little better about my decision, but when the movie was over, I ran out very quickly, to catch some air from completing this challenge of going out alone.
The next year for my birthday I decided to take this new found freedom even further by getting a City Pass and going to explore some places in NYC alone; I ended up going to the Guggenheim Museum, Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island, and The Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center, taking fifty billion selfies of myself. The feeling was so liberating because I used the pass over a course of 3 different days, so I moved more and more away from the feeling of discomfort. With this month being self-care awareness month, this week’s task is to
TAKE YOURSELF ON A DATE /
DO SOMETHING UNUSUAL ALONE
OUTSIDE THE HOME
There are many people who miss out on travel opportunities or going to events because they couldn’t find someone to go with them or the person who committed flaked out at the last minute. For this week, I’m saying forget these people and enjoy having fun with yourself. Going out alone is one of the most uncomfortable things you can do and if you love yourself, try it, and see how secure you are in being your own company. I’m a very observant person and I feel like since the pandemic, I have seen more and more people out alone than ever before at the movie theater and at concerts. These people have been young and old, and I am happy for them because they too have learned to love hanging with themselves, because as the saying goes “life is short.”
So, whether you’re married, single, or have children, taking yourself out on a date is needed. There comes a time when all our cups run over and going out alone can be the thing that helps you reset. I don’t just mean going to get your hair or nails done like we do often, I’m talking about places such as the museum, going to the bar restaurant, going to the movies, or even going to a concert; all of these are places where you will be one of the very few people to be alone. If you so decide to participate, I am here cheering you on, because when you are by yourself, you can be yourself, and have fun with yourself doing something you enjoy.