Spending time alone allows us to develop more meaningful relationships not just with others but within ourselves as well. “To be fully human we need relationships with other people, with the nonhuman world, and with our own inner depths. In solitude we have the opportunity to explore all these domains of relationship” (Kull, 2008, p. 319).
Our brain is wired to connect. People are often drawn to things in related with socialization as if it is a physiological need. Everyday we are preoccupied to socialize to the extent that meaningful relationships and real connection are slowly fading away in the background.

(headlights. photo taken at metro manila using d5100 nikon)

We always keep in touch with others yet we forget to keep in touch with ourselves. In order to have a meaningful relationship with others, we first must have a deeper connection within ourselves. Solitude offers time for us to be emotionally aware of ourselves and our feelings for us to be able to cultivate deeper relationships.

WHOSOEVER DELIGHTED IN SOLITUDE IS EITHER A WILD BEAST OR A GOD

– Aristotle

Solitude switches our perception of alienation from negative into positive by letting us realize that being alone involves physical state whilst being lonely pertains to our emotional state. “Solitude offers an opportunity to explore the sense of alienation many of us live with and to realize that being alone is not the same as feeling isolated or lonely” (Kull,2008,p.319). While many people perceives alienation us as an undesirable experience, solitude teaches us to utilize this alienation to tune out thoughts of ones’ self, explore and enjoy things with ourselves alone. Therefore, solitude serves as an eye opener for the society’s misconception that being alone is bad as being lonely. Solitude lets us realize that this is not true. Being lonely is being sad with the fact that you’re by yourself, which is negative. On the other hand, being alone simply describes that you are by yourself which is not projected as positive or negative.

Solitude provides self-awareness of our inner voices and emotions so that we could realize that the way we perceive ourselves is totally different to who we really are. “Solitude challenges us to face our inner darkness and to discover that we’re not identical to the conception we often have of ourselves” (Kull, 2008, p.319). There are evil, unwanted or negative aspects that we possess within us. Most of us don’t realize this darkness inside because our brain is focused to the different view of ourselves which is mainly influenced and shaped by society. Solitude gives us opportunity to self-reflect for us to improve our knowledge of self. In this way we could realize that how we perceive ourselves with our daily lives is far from our true identity.