Alone

I no longer discount quiet moments with myself. I now realize that sacred time yields a significantly high return on my investment in me. The only way to achieve aspirations in life and within yourself is to put in the hard work. Isolation and humility are time-tested vanguards of self-awareness. Alone is where honest reflection, recalibration, and viable solutions have the potential to be uncovered and discovered.

For me, the act of being alone is rarely a planned event but one that seems to occur spontaneously, whenever and wherever there is peace and the opportunity for solemn contemplation. Occasionally, the need to find that quiet venue can also be triggered in the midst of living life by a reflective thought, a poignant word, or an extemporaneous observation.

It is there, devoid of distractions, noise, or conversation, where I am “at work.” Just me being honest and vulnerable with my biggest foe and battered champion, my thoughts and sparring offensively, defensively, then defenselessly in an elastic cerebral boxing ring. I am pouring in new information and observations, expelling outdated traditions and opinions, psychologically counterpunching against my demons, dissecting old patterns, beliefs, and pronouncements until finally cornered to accept new truths. 

Alone is where my best work on me is done. Reflectively, I am finally able to appreciate who I am and now enjoy spending increasing quality time with me, myself, and I. Every day I learn something new about Michael. It took a long while, but as they say, “better late than never.”  I reach and embrace the same aspirational conclusion at the end of each day. However, a lot of work remains undone, and time is an impartial ally.

So now, I consciously try to reallocate what little remains with an unapologetic bias towards being alone.