In every home, there is a tiny space waiting to fill our silent need — a time to be alone. However, for many people, being alone often comes too close to lonely – too close to “the monster called alone.” Yet it is in solitude that we can create positive a dialogue within ourselves.
The challenge of solitude is to find a regular time and place for the serenity that connects us with our gratitude voice.
In the country, I had a closet with a window overlooking the lake where an osprey fished at dawn and two blue herons pranced at dusk. There I kept a small desk, a prayer journal, and a candle.
When we moved to the city, I had to find a way to put into a small condo my prayer desk, a computer desk, and also a note writing desk. I decided to use a camera to look at the rooms from different perspectives. First standing in the middle of the room, I photographed each corner. Then standing in each corner, I snapped more photos from different angles.
Really assessing each wall and corner helps identify the perfect spot for a retreat. Through photos, or even a critical eye, you can see the section of a room that has unnecessary clutter or an awkward emptiness just waiting for you to adapt it for your serenity space.
In Beacon Hill, I found that my solitude desk fit perfectly under the bedroom window overlooking the river.
Productive solitude moments
To achieve the greatest benefit from alone time, here are some thoughts:
- Schedule time each day, preferably in the morning.
- Use time management techniques so that by the end of your day you are prepared for a restful sleep and awake refreshed.
- Shut off your cell phone and all electronic distractions.
- Consider solitude moments to be a gift to yourself.
- Value the time as a way of appreciating and developing your intuition, which can lead to wise decision-making and inventiveness.
Buy yourself a journal and call alone time your gratitude time. Then use the special moments to yourself to express thanks. Gratitude is an attitude which brings invaluable benefits. During times of solitude, gratitude seems to come more naturally because it is easy to start with a simple, “I am so grateful for this time to myself.”
Copyright 2022 Rita Watson
Adapted from my PsychologyToday.com piece: “Create a Solitude Space and Find Your Gratitude Voice, Psychology Today, June 18, 2015″
and
Rita Esposito Watson, “A Serenity Journal: 52 Weeks of Prayer and Gratitude.” Paulist Press, 2000.
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