The importance of being alone

Slowing down as creative practice

“You can get help from teachers, but you are going to have to learn a lot by yourself, sitting alone in a room.” – Dr. Seuss

Friendship and community are super important. Humans are pack animals. We need love and support from each other. But it’s also important (maybe more so) to be in a loving relationship with yourself. This means taking time to be alone with your thoughts and feelings without the distractions of external stimulation.

Only when we are alone can we truly tune into our own inner voice and inner purpose.

Solitude doesn’t always equate to loneliness. Solitude can be a sanctuary, a peaceful respite from the world’s madness, a place where we can finally slow down and connect with ourselves. 

Creatives in particular require a good amount of alone time. Ideas, on their way to being born, are fragile things. Too much noise or distractions and they can simply dissolve or be forgotten, leaving behind a graveyard of unfinished projects. 

The solitude of the artist is not anti-social. It is a vow of commitment to the creative process, giving our ideas a chance to be born, however long it takes.

I used to resist solitude, but I’ve learned to love being alone. When we are always surrounded by other people, it’s all too easy to get caught up in drama, opinions, and ambitions that are not our own.

We become more like the people we surround ourselves with, for better or for worse. It’s better to be alone than to be around people who drain your energy or fill your mind with unnecessary clutter.

Of course, there is such a thing as too much time alone. While it’s important to drop in with ourselves, it’s also important to get out of our own heads and open ourselves to other perspectives. But your social hours will be more fulfilling when spent with intention.

Go where your cup will be filled, not drained. Choose the people who feel like a reward, not an obligation. 

There’s a time to socialize and a time to be alone. Flowers need to grow in darkness, alone beneath the soil, before they can bloom.

Go deeper. Tools & classes to help guide your creative journey:

The Art of You: My new book about reclaiming your creativity and turning your imagination into reality.

Meme School: My upcoming class on how to make memes and craft a viral message.

The Art of Your Higher Self: My first in-person creativity retreat with Bunny Michael, October 4-6 in North Carolina.