Friday rolls around, you make sure you’ve got everything you need, you go home, and you spend the entire weekend alone. Does that necessarily mean you’re lonely? No, it does not. In fact, it might mean you’re content to not speak with anybody, and if anything, it raises your energy.
Some people were born to feel good around nobody, while for others, it would be their worst nightmare. And for those who fall into the former category, these traits usually have a lot to do with it:
1. They have an enriching inner world.
It’s not wrong to need your friends or family around you to keep engaged in the world. However, for those who go whole weekends on their own, they don’t need to rely on that to feel positively energized.
That’s often because they have enough going on with their inner worlds to keep them entertained. Their deep thinking, their introspection, their imagination, and their creativity are often what rejuvenate them, making their inner world a great place to hunker down. Their mind is their castle, and its rich inner workings is the gravitational pull that keeps them there.
2. They find comfort in silence.
Can you hear that? No, me neither. That’s because everything is silent, and everything is still. When you enjoy time by yourself, you appreciate and sink into it, as opposed to repelling it or needing to fill that silence with any sound. You’re generally happy to be quiet, and that quiet replenishes you.
People who find comfort in silence have often done their best during the noisy, bustling week to get by, particularly if they work in a busy or loud environment. That can feel like a lot at times, so when their time rolls around, they choose to savor the serenity.
And I don’t blame them.
3. They don’t need to be needed to feel valued.
It’s not that people who enjoy their own company don’t care about others; it’s that they don’t need to constantly reassure themselves that they’re needed, wanted, or seen in order to feel worthy. They’re aware people are leading their own lives, and while they’re relaxing into their weekend, they feel at ease knowing those they love are doing their thing.
If there was an emergency and they had to dash to be at a certain place, they could (and would) do it. But they’re not going to make a drama or create a need where there is none. Instead, they make the most of the peace without any urge to check in with others. That’s a great mental and physical place to be.
4. They enjoy solo hobbies.
Hobbies can sometimes be opportunities to get together and enjoy an activity or pastime as a group. That’s not always the case, but it works for some. Painting classes are a great example of this, but if you’re more naturally introverted, you’re more likely to be in your element spending all weekend at home working on a new watercolor portrait on your own.
Solo hobbies give those who gain positive energy from spending time alone the chance to explore their passion – uninterrupted. They acquire the skill and enjoyment that the hobby provides, without all the noise, small talk, sensory overwhelm, and general energy-zapping that group classes and activities can bring.
5. Their nervous system recharges most efficiently in solitude.
Attention, nervous system: I give you full permission to power down for the weekend!
For these people, nervous system regulation is much easier to achieve when you aren’t surrounded by people who require your attention and responses. Without even a slight demand on your emotional resources, you can rest.
Yes, this may be a preference for introverted people, but that solitude and reduced stimulation can be nice for anybody who just needs a little time to themselves for a while.
You can still like people but need a reset, and that can make these weekends a real chance to reconnect with yourself and top up that emotional battery.
6. They don’t care about FOMO (fear of missing out).
What a great place in life to get to when you can say to yourself, “What exactly am I missing out on if I don’t speak to a soul all weekend?” It doesn’t come from a place of selfishness or arrogance, but more, “I’m good. You do you, and I’ll do me.”
Events, occasions, emergencies, and pre-planned appointments may alter this trait from time to time, and you have to roll with that. But when life frees up? You take it gladly and make the most of it.
Missing out just isn’t really a concept for those who get their energy when they aren’t speaking to others.
7. They don’t need others to give them an identity.
If you’re happy in solitude, it’s most likely that you have a stable identity that’s largely independent of others. You’re strong in your values, and you know your place in the world.
What that means is that you don’t feel the need to go out and search for something or someone to make your weekend whole. You don’t feel lost in your own company, because you’ve shaped your identity to become a self that doesn’t rely on the roles you fulfil for others.
It fills you with energy to know who you are and what you love, and you can settle fully into that self nicely over the course of these few days, feeling all the better for it.
8. They enjoy a slower pace of life.
Time never seems to drag for those who love their weekends in solitude. In fact, if this sounds familiar, it’s likely you view these long, lazy weekends as a precious gift, and you love to savor every single minute of them.
The slow pace is suited to you, and you happily allow time to feel as though it’s standing still without feeling frustrated and wanting to speed it up.
Patience, breathe, live, be. It’s a mantra that you permit, and one that you swear by.
Don’t get me wrong, such a slow, almost unproductive pace may sound like a nightmare for some (not me!), but there’s no judgment, just acceptance that people are different. It takes all sorts after all.
9. They are incredibly self-sufficient.
The groceries need getting, some DIY needs doing around the house, you want to sit and work out your bills for the month and get ahead, plus you want to figure out how much you can save this month after outgoings for your planned summer vacation.
And it doesn’t even occur to you to rope someone else in to help with any of it. Not for help, company, or motivation. You’re more than happy to take it all on yourself, and in your own time.
To be self-sufficient means you consider these responsibilities as your own, and you handle them on your own terms.
And guess what? When you savor solitude, being this self-reliant actually gives you more energy because you can tick items off your to-do list without having to worry about anyone else’s priorities or without them interfering or wanting things done their way. Result!
Final thoughts…
Feel validated yet? All those times you’re told – albeit kindly – that you need to get out more, or make more friends, really don’t mean much at all when you thrive on being alone.
To be able to cope well and enjoy the time for what it is, rather than what other people want it to be for you, is a different kind of magic.
You’ve got your own thing going on, and while that may not suit everybody, it suits you, and that’s all that matters.
Now… where’s my paintbrush?
