activities done alone introverts

As introverts, we have a definite need for solitude. Our alone time helps us to feel good and energized. Unfortunately, many of us waste too much of our precious alone time worrying that we should be more social.

We also might feel like certain activities we want to do are only meant for couples or groups. I know I certainly felt this way a lot throughout my teens and early 20s. Over the years, I’ve come to realize that many activities that I thought I needed a companion for are actually better done solo.

Here is my list of the top 5 activities that are better done alone:

Shopping

I’m so glad my adolescent years of shopping in groups with other girls are far behind me. It can be incredibly distracting and cumbersome to shop with other people.

First of all, you have those awkward moments when you really want to go in a store but you worry the other person doesn’t. On top of that you have to worry about pacing.

If you are a slow shopper, you end up feeling guilty if the other person wants to move more quickly. Conversely, if you are the swift shopper, boredom creeps in quite fast.

Time in nature

This is one that I’ve been embracing more and more as I get older (I’m 29, in case you were wondering). There are many people who would never even consider going for a solo hike or trip to the lake. They prefer to get big groups together, or at the very least invite one other friend.

This is unfortunate because being alone in nature is the sweetest form of solitude. It is incredibly rejuvenating. Nowadays, I hop on my bike and go to the lake by myself several times a week. During times when I’ve lived near hiking trails, I’ve relished morning solo hikes, where I can be completely alone with my own thoughts.

Michaela Chung

Me on a morning solo hike in Costa Rica.

Movie night

Quite frankly, I have no idea why going to the movies is categorized as a group activity. You don’t talk to each other during the movie – and if you do, well that’s just really freaking annoying – so why bother?

I absolutely LOVE going to the movies by myself, especially if it is a more thought-provoking flick. This allows me to reflect on the movie for a while before reentering the ‘real world’.

Travel

Travelling alone can be infinitely more enjoyable than travelling in pairs or groups. This is because don’t have to worry about constantly coordinating with other people or planning activities that everyone will like.

Those of you who’ve been following the blog for a while know that I have travelled extensively over the past few years and I have done it mostly solo. That doesn’t mean I was alone the whole time. I frequently met up with friends and other travelers, but I rarely actually traveled with them. This gave me the freedom to make my own itinerary and follow my bliss.

Romance

You might be scratching your head over this one, but hear me out. Many introverts love to daydream and fantasize. Those of us who are romantics might spend a lot of time fantasizing about our perfect lover and all the things we’ll do together.

But did you know that you can have romantic moments all by yourself? You can go for nighttime strolls, and let the starry sky kiss you, the warm breeze caress you. You can meander through the Sunday market and relish the time to daydream and move at your own pace. You can take yourself to dinner and have a much better time alone than if you were with a partner.

You can do pretty much anything all by your lonesome, and have a heart brimming with love and gratitude.

i heart introverts

I <3 my innie alone time.

These are just a few of the things that can be better done alone. There are many more.

What are some of your favorite solo activities, innie friend?

Love,

michalea chung