I love people and I also love being alone.
An oxymoron that effects my every day life.
I love being with people and talking with people and spending quality time with people.
I have friends and family and responsibilities and so many other reasons to enjoy time with people.
But I have a secret too.
I really do love being alone.
I need time alone.
I crave time alone.
And time alone isn’t always easy to get.
Especially as a traveling mom, wife, missionary, and friend.
Honestly, it isn’t always evident that I need some time alone. I can very easily ignore my own desire to rest.
I’m learning that no matter my season in life, no matter my busy schedule or my hurried days or how many appointments I have… by the end of the day, I’m desperate for quiet.
I need some time alone.
And it isn’t good if I go days and days without finding a way to have an hour to myself or a moment of quiet.
I read an article recently abut 16 Habits of Highly Sensitive People.
It was me. almost perfectly.
I absorb things deeply and feel things strongly and experience life fully.
It is difficult to separate events and put moments into different boxes.
The day meshes together into one big chunk of life.
One great thing can get blurred by a negative thought.
One bad thing can get blurred by a positive word.
My head and heart can be ready for more of the day while my body is whispering that it needs a rest, some time alone.
Time to think, to process, to understand, to plan, to create, to prepare.
Time to space things out and regroup for what’s coming next.
I remember writing a post about this a few years ago…
About wanting to fly away and find somewhere to be alone and how God spoke to me that day.
I’m still learning this lesson… growing in grace.
Time alone is rare, precious and valuable.
I am learning to take advantage of every moment of rest and fully live every point of life.
Being Alone
Make time – I know this sounds good. But you really have to actually DO IT.
Use a schedule – You need to make time and block it in on your schedule.
Don’t worry about perfect – Even if your time alone is messy, do it anyway.
Relax – Let go and let God work in your heart during the precious minutes of alone time. Refresh in Him.
Ask for help – You might need to call a friend to babysit, ask your parents to keep the kids for a weekend, get your husband involved… you need to be brave, ask for help and find time for being alone.
This journey seems so busy yet I wouldn’t want it any other way.
So I learn to walk in the joy of my Savior every day, every event, every experience.
How do you handle those days you need alone time? Are you a person who craves time alone?
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