I first shared the following post on my Instagram account and was blown away by the kind comments and messages I received. Yesterday I did something I’ve been wanting to do for a long while now, something I used to do a lot of but haven’t in recent years. I went off on my own to explore something new.
I hopped into my car to visit a lavender farm about an hour away from where I live. Alone with nothing but clear blue skies, crisp fresh air and the scent of lavender all around me. Gone were the worries and stresses that have been taking a toll on my body physically and mentally.
For nearly 23 years I have been caring for everyone but myself, and for nearly 10 years I have been doing this solo. This isn’t a complaint, it is merely a statement… This is motherhood. This is the life I chose and it is the life I love.
But I still need and crave getting away from it all and getting away from it all on my own.
It’s such a great mental and physical reset. There’s nothing like going someplace without a plan, which by the way is also my favorite way to travel! I love to make lists of the places I’d like to see but without an agenda. I find that the best things happen when they are unplanned.
And this is what happened yesterday. I hopped in the car, windows down, music blaring, singing as loudly as I could and totally off key and no one telling me to change the station or to turn the music down…
I spent an hour or so among the lavender fields, walking, or sitting and reflecting. When I was done I realized I wasn’t far from one of the very first friends I made when I moved to Connecticut so I sent her a text, apologizing for the last minute of it all and asked if she might spare a few minutes for a cup of coffee. It turns out that she could. I haven’t seen her in quite a few years and it always seems like time has stood still.
At the end of the afternoon with September shadows looming low and overhead, she had to get back to her family and I needed to get back to mine.
The ride home was even more enjoyable than the ride up as there was no traffic. Once again my windows were open, the music was blaring and I was singing…
When was the last time you deliberately planned to spend an entire day doing something completely out of the ordinary all by yourself?
Alone time at home is all well and good but there are distractions at home and even when I am alone I never fully relax. There’s always work to be done (I own my own business) or cleaning and tidying to be done, laundry, sheets, bills to take care of, etc… There are simply too many distractions to truly relax and unwind at home.
10 Ways to Enjoy Solo time outside of the Home
Plan an impromptu road trip with nothing but a full tank of gas, a little money, and a camera
Visit a local museum and treat yourself to a little treat at an outside cafe
Spend a day in a nearby town or city window shopping and people shopping
Pack a picnic and head to a nearby park or beach with a good book and a journal
Visit an independent bookstore and lose yourself there then treat yourself to lunch
Learn something new - Attend a painting, photography, pottery, writing or flower arranging class
Go for a long walk or hike and explore nature
Rent a kayak or paddleboard
Have a staycation - book yourself a night or two at a local hotel
Visit antique shops or flea markets
Please note that if you do plan on spending the day somewhere that you let at least one person know where you are, how to reach you and a rough idea of when you’ll be safely home.