Independence

There are lots of different ways to define independence. You can define it as paying your own bills, by being able to do things without anyone's help, or by the simple luxury of spending time alone.

This week I explored the latter. I decided to do what I deem as one of the ultimate acts of secure singleness: I saw a movie by myself.

via

It was wonderful! I found myself downtown with an entire afternoon to myself and the only theatre in the whole city that was playing a movie I was dying to see just a few blocks away. It was fate.

This was a somewhat big moment for me because this signified what I really came to Toronto to do. No, I didn't come to see movies in the afternoon alone but I did come to find independence. Not just financial independence, but all kinds of independence. I'm still working on  being financially responsible and have come to truly enjoy doing things entirely by myself and being able to say I didn't have to ask a thing for anyone. Seeing this movie was the next natural progression. 

If we want to truly call ourselves independent then we should really get comfortable being with ourselves. If you do this, then every other relationship in your life with be seen as a bonus, not something that you would die without. 

I still find myself feeling lonely sometimes when I have an entire evening ahead of me with absolutely nothing to do and no one in sight to do it with but I am starting to take these moments as opportunities to enjoy myself. Instead of wishing that my roommates would just get home already so I can have someone to break up the night, I'm making it about me-time. 

Here are some things I've started enjoying doing when I've got a whole night to myself:

- Going for nice, long jogs

- Cooking for myself 

- Cleaning (I'm a very weird person who likes to clean to de-stress and/or procrastinate)

- Watching television shows under my covers with a candle burning

- Painting my nails

- Playing records and singing along

- Reading books

- Journaling

- Knitting

So from now on try to enjoy your time with yourself. Find hobbies that you'll want to find alone time to finish. Let yourself de-stress and really make yourself cherish your time with the only person you'll ever be stuck with.

From the desk of:

Taylor Brown

 Independent Lady, Proud Single Movie Ticket Buyer, Enthusiast of Hobbies Suited for 70 Year Olds