Solitude is My Superpower

Solitude is my superpower. Not, being the best at first impressions or making small talk at social events. In fact, I've lived in the same house for a year and a half now, and I still can't manage to come up with a full sentence when I see my neighbors in the driveway. My mind defaults to "Hey! Your car is grey. Cool dog." while their eyes cheer me on with hopeful pity. "Hey! I-. Wh-. Okay bye." I blurt out as their enthusiasm fades and I facepalm myself to shame.

That's life for an introvert sometimes. A series of awkward encounters– and people thinking you're either horribly rude, or totally incapable of live human interaction. It's okay introverts, we've all been there. We're not socially inept, it's just that our strengths lie in other areas.

I happen to be an extroverted introvert. Meaning, I'm selectively good with people– just not my neighbors, clearly. I can be loud when I need to, thrive in crowds, make friends with strangers, turn up my energy levels, and fool half of you into thinking I'm a people person. I truly enjoy being a part of the world and everything it has to offer, it's just that, most times, I'd rather be laying in my hammock listening to the rustle of palm trees sway in the wind than out in a crowd.

When I was growing up, my dad had a no talking in the car policy. It was an unspoken rule– literally. And it drove me fucking crazy. Little me would fidget restlessly as he gazed quietly upon the open road, and every time I'd try to sneak a thought in, the sounds of my mind would get swept away by the songs on the radio. We'd cruise around with the windows down and the tunes cranked and after a while, these drives became my meditation (and I later learned, they were his too).

Solitude is my superpower. It's my recharge station; my source of energy. Solitude is the space I create in my life to allow myself to grow. Being alone is when I feel most in my power. It could be a sunrise swim in the ocean, a few quiet hours on my laptop, a meditation session in the sand, a slow yoga flow on my porch, a drive into the middle of nowhere to clear my head or a solo paddle into the bay. When I'm with myself I get supercharged.

Let's get one thing straight. Solitude isn't about being lonely, or about being alone all the time. It's about finding power in the still moments. It's about cultivating stillness in a world filled with noise. It's about feeling fully satisfied and totally whole in your own company. It's about being wholeheartedly present in a moment and needing nothing but the air moving through your nostrils and into your lungs to be happy.

Being okay with– or rather, thriving in– solitude has its lifestyle perks. For one, I never ask for permission to do anything. When I see something cool, I explore it. When I meet someone interesting, I talk to them. When I get the urge to bust a freaky dance move, I just fucking do it. When I feel called into the unknown, I go fourth. From solitude blossoms curiosity, independence, and discovery. Embracing our own company is the ultimate adventure.

There's this little strip of beach I go to. It's totally secluded and cut off from the public. One stormy afternoon I put on my bikini and headed over for some vitamin D, despite the very obvious rainclouds looming above me. When I got to the beach the waves were crashing everywhere and a light drizzle sprinkled the shore. Everything was wet, and there was nowhere to sit or lay, but I kept walking anyway. I found the uncertainty of it all invigorating.

Suddenly, like something from out of a movie scene, a troupe of handsome jet skiers pull onto the sand, cutting me off at my path. A band of three brothers, to be exact. I struck up a conversation with one of the brothers as they regrouped on land and as he was leaving he pulled out a life vest and said, you coming? And just like that, this solo traveler stumbled upon the jet ski day of a fucking lifetime– and I'm not kidding you when I say I lived my tropical dreams that afternoon.

Jet skiing with a pack of wild, kindhearted strangers was the most fun I've ever had (and I'm a pretty spontaneous gal, so that says a lot). Talk about thrills. Honestly, I don't think my dream day could have happened without the contentment that comes with leading your life with complete trust in yourself, and a commitment to stay truly present in your own company, wherever the day takes you.

Thank the universe for the superpower of solitude. It's given me the courage to be happy without conditions, the deepest sense of aliveness and fulfillment, and led me to a life of wild exploration.