Enjoy your own company.

I saw this quote and it really resonated with me on a two levels:

1. As my son is autistic he is very happy with his own company. He is extremely happy laying outside on the trampoline listening to music. He can spend hours ‘reading’ (he is starting to read a few words and he has memorized all the words of a few of his favorite stories, or he will watch other people reading the book on YouTube as he follows along). My son also has an amazing imagination and will use TV shows he has watched, or books he has read, or places he has visited, to tell his own adventures staring his favorite toys of the moment. Currently it’s the ‘Adventures of Bath Duck, Sticky Lizard, Cookie Monster, Elmo and Chef’. I want my son to always be allowed to feel thats it’s ok to enjoy his own space. We always invite him to join us for family movie nights or games. Sometimes he will join us for a little bit and at other times he won’t.
2. I think it puts a lot of pressure on someone if you are expecting them to make you happy. I think you can take pleasure in someone’s company but you should also be able to be ok on your own. Some of the best conversations I have are with myself (no one argues but and everyone agrees)! I went to see the last Harry Potter movie on my own as my husband wouldn’t come and see it on the opening day, and I really love going for lunches by myself. I’ve learnt over the years not to care if people look at me while I’m sat eating on my own. My time alone allows me to think and it’s often when I get my crazy creative ideas.

So my challenge to you over the next year is to find time to be alone with just you. Enjoy the peace. Learn to like the silence without all the distractions that exist in our modern lives. And be happy with just you.