Here Are 7 Reasons Why Having No Friends Isn’t Necessarily A Bad Thing
niharika nayakBA (Media & Communication) Experience: 4 yearsNiharika has a passion for all things art, music, and travel and has over 4 years of experience in writing for social media. During her spare time, she likes experimenting in the kitchen, playing vide... more
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Whether you are a very social person or simply like curving into your condo alone, everyone craves some “me” time at some point. Many feel the need to equate their social status by their popularity, which basically means having more friends. However, we’re here to tell you that even if you are someone who doesn’t have a ton of friends, it’s totally alright. Maybe you are an introvert who prefers your own company. Or perhaps you are a shy extrovert who is just afraid to get out of their shell and interact with others. Whatever be the case, there are plenty of benefits to being a solitary individual. Sure, healthy friendships are essential for you to grow and develop as a person. But you can seek therapy or focus on other aspects of your life to combat the feeling of loneliness you may experience every now and then. Here are a couple of plus points to living a solitary life:
1. You Understand The Value Of Real Connections
Nobody is truly alone. We live in a world that is almost entirely connected to each other, thanks to social media and various other technological advancements. Even if you think you have no close friends, we guarantee that someone out there cares about you deeply. Moreso, even if you have just one or two friends, you probably understand the impact of having meaningful relationships. Plus, it’s better to be alone than to have toxic friendships and people who just bring negative energy into your life!
2. You Can Spend More Time On Being Creative
You have to admit that being alone gives you enough time to be creative and focus on more productive pursuits. Meaningless interactions and small talk can just distract you from any attempts to brainstorm or come up with new ideas. Of course, not all forms of interactions need to be meaningless but wouldn’t you instead make art than go out hunting for new friends? If you are a creative soul who loves to paint, write, take photographs and make music, meaningless chatter will just eat away at your much-needed thinking time. Having said that, if you do have your bestie group who you trust, you can always plan something creative with them.
3. Solitude Can Help You See Things From A Different Perspective
You may notice that spending time with others can sometimes bring out different personality traits within you. Of course, you might not entirely be conscious of these changes, but you might notice them along the way. When you are with a loud friend, you might end up being equally loud and energized. However, when you hang out with quieter friends, you might notice that you are more silent around them. Of course, mirroring those around you isn’t necessarily a bad thing! In fact, it is considered a prosocial behavior and helps with bonding. However, you may find yourself focussing on the perspective of others rather than your own when it comes to a new situation.
If you have no friends or have a tiny social circle, you will devote much longer and dedicated time to yourself. The scope of peer pressure is very less and you can make your own informed decisions without being affected by others. It is also good for your personal self-esteem.
4. Forced Friendships Don’t Benefit Anybody
If you feel pressured to become friends with those that you don’t share similar interests with, you will end up feeling like you’re forcing a friendship. Sure, these forced friendships are fun when it’s a casual hangout or a coffee break at work but imagine if you have to force a friendship in the long run. All it will do is drain you and leave you feeling like you lost a lot of your time.
5. You Learn To Have A Better Relationship With Yourself
You may not realize it right now, but people in your life can shape your identity. You might get to see this impact your life in various ways. It can be as simple as the TV shows that you watch or the activities you participate in, or even the types of exercises you choose to do. If you end up bonding with the wrong kinds of people, you may find yourself becoming as negative as them. Or, if you’re around people who bully you, it might have a terrible impact on your self-esteem and your mental health. Similarly, if you are around kind people, you may find yourself feeling more positive in your outlook. However, being alone will let you discover who you are all by yourself without the influence of the outside world.
6. You Have Fewer Social Commitments
What is the one thing that you look forward to the most at the end of the day? While some people might want to go gather with friends and wind down, others may want to cozy up to a book and a cat instead. If you have fewer friends, you probably have a lot of spare time that you can use to focus on other activities in your life. If you do have friends and don’t give them the amount of time they might require, they might guilt-trip you into spending time with them, and nobody needs that. If you don’t get enough time to recharge during the day, you may find yourself feeling burned out and tired.
7. The Money You Save Can Be Allocated Elsewhere
Let’s be honest, having friends can be pretty expensive. You have to send them birthday gifts and also ensure that you hang out with them every now and then. That can take a significant toll on your wallet, and you may often find yourself strapped for cash. If you have no friends, you will save up money and allocate that money to other places like going to the gym, buying yourself art supplies, or maybe even vamping up your wardrobe.
In the end, it doesn’t matter how many people you surround yourself with. Every single person you know has probably dealt with some form of loneliness, and you must acknowledge that. If you feel lonely and it affects your mental health, it’s a good idea to seek therapy and look for different ways to cope with this feeling. Some feel the need to have friends in order to be happy which becomes a problem. Therapy can offer you ways in which you can follow specific strategies and build meaningful connections with others. Do let us know all of your thoughts on this article in the comment section below!
