How do you feel about being alone? Do you recognise yourself in any aspect of what I've written? How do you spend your alone time? Do you work on developing a relationship with yourself?

The only way you can ever truly be happy is if you're at peace with who you are on the inside.

"That's when you can appreciate solitude, an opportunity to be with yourself, to enjoy your own company, and to spend time in self-reflection. And from that place, a bit of loneliness now and then is natural and healthy and expected, as we are biologically social creatures. As long as you're happy and at peace with yourself, you're bound to seek positive ways to alleviate loneliness — i.e. making plans with friends."

I couldn't agree more with Liberty Forrest, Author, but it wasn't always like this in my life.

As an introvert, I enjoyed spending time alone in my youth, especially as a form of isolation from my numerous and noisy family. Studying offered me the right excuse to stay long hours in libraries, or closed in a space with my books.

It was also a limit, when I had to face long interactions with my clients starting my working activity as a psychologist. I had my hard time looking for a balance. Actually I was so drained after all those relationships that I longed for spending week-ends alone.

Being alone in adult life has represented a well desired recharging moment, where responsibilities could stay on pause for a while, and I would take my time to reconnect with myself.

The not so positive side was the loneliness of some vacations, when I would stay alone not being able to organize summer time with friends due to exaggerated working hours.

After my marriage, the birth of my son, and the interactions with my husband's numerous family, I struggled to maintain dedicated spaces for myself. Luckily enough, my spiritual practices of meditation, and buddhism prayers were structured in my routine, and I could achieve a kind of balance between the need for staying alone and the full-time availability to others, both clients and family members.

I learned to be a social being, but, to these days, I enjoy and prefer loneliness. I know when to open doors to others, and appreciate the time I spend with myself. I'm in peace with myself, although the nature of some close relationships always mean some trouble to solve. I have many interests, and, as a curious human being, I never have enough time to dedicate to them. I wish my days were longer, in order to do, study, discover, and apply what I learn.

Solitude is my Muse.

It's fun to say this, but Medium is quite one of the most social expression of myself lately. And I'm not so present!!

I dream of a little cottage in the forest to spend my future time with myself (and my cats, and other animals). Few humans would be allowed to visit, only when and if I desire it. Yes, you got it well. I like to stay alone!

Thank you, Liberty, for offering food for the mind.

I tried to answer some of your questions about loneliness.

How do you feel about being alone? How do you spend your alone time? Do you work on developing a relationship with yourself?

Please take some time reading the inspirational writing by Sheronda Lofton