In modern society, we’re always supposed to be on the go.
Whether we’re students, business owners, working professionals, or homemakers – being busy is endorsed as necessary and good.
The idea behind the drive to work and hurry is that living in this way will help us achieve our goals. We’ll eventually reach a state of happiness and even prosperity.
But how true is this assumption? What if staying connected and occupied with work all the time is exactly what’s keeping us from achieving extraordinary things?
The reality is that many great creative people of the world endorse periods of quiet, ease, and seclusion as necessary for genius to emerge.
Embracing solitude and avoiding extra work and experiences can be the key to transforming your life. Let’s look at how.
Solitude lets creativity emerge
One of the most prolific teachers of creativity is Julia Cameron, who has been acclaimed by the likes of Martin Scorcese and many others. According to her, solitude helps you get in touch with yourself because it removes distractions that stifle your original thinking.
We’re so occupied with our social media feeds and comparing ourselves to others that we lose track of our inner voices.
Spending more time just meditating or walking alone in nature lets you hear your creative voice. You’ll start to pick up on things you want to do rather than what you have to do. As a result, you’ll develop new hobbies. Maybe you write a book, start a business you always wanted to, or even move to a city that has resources for your dreams.
Detox from social media
Solitude means virtual as well as physical distancing from others for a time. It’s important to take the time to disconnect from others online as well as offline. What you’ll find is less anxiety from information overload.
Social media content is meant to trigger an emotional reaction and the release of dopamine in your brain, which keeps you hooked to scrolling through content. In fact, 20% of people cannot go for an hour without checking social media. And 26% of people say that they would exchange habits like smoking to access social network content!
When you undertake mental solitude by removing or reducing social media consumption, you’ll experience a detox. And as a result, you’ll feel balanced and reduce stress.
Conquer your internal blocks
One of the reasons why it’s difficult to overcome bad habits and unhelpful thought patterns is because we don’t face them. Instead, we distract ourselves with external experiences and habits that temporarily help us forget about our internal problems.
A major benefit of solitude is that we are compelled to listen to our thoughts and face up to what’s really bothering us.
If you want to overcome self-esteem issues or get your business out of a rut, then solitude can help you find answers to these things. What’s more, you’ll discover solutions that are right for you and not have to follow generic advice that almost never works.
Conclusion
Solitude is not a bad thing at all. In fact, willingly embracing quiet and detachment can give you a much-needed breathing space.
Avoiding extra work, not using social media, and meeting fewer people for a while gives you the ability to recover from information overload.
You’ll discover your creative voice and find out what you should be doing with your life, figure out ways to stand out at work or in your business, and you’ll connect better with others since you come from a place of balance and peace.
I’ve laid out the benefits of solitude and how it can help you grow into a happier and more fulfilled person.
Take time off if you can or simply lean into periods of rest when you do get them. You’ll see a life-changing difference in a very short time.