There are many activities that I enjoy solo. I love a good brain-challenging puzzle, I love reading or really diving deep into a new album, and I love wilderness backpacking.
There are also plenty of activities that I enjoy with a group. Going to movies or concerts, playing board games or RPGs, exploring a flea market or new restaurant.
My main difficulty is that I’m very bad at doing any of the “group” activities by myself, even though most of them are perfectly doable on my own. I know several friends who will go to the movies or to a concert by themselves, and it blows me away. I think it’s awesome, but I can’t seem to do it.
For me, the social connection is the point of those activities. I don’t just want to watch a movie, I want to discuss a movie with someone else who watched and was into it. That’s a big part of the joy for me, so leaving that behind feels like half an activity.
But it’s good for me to focus a bit on it, because being able to enjoy all of life by yourself is important. People are wonderful, but you need to be comfortable with the only company you’ll always have.
The Opportunity Machine 