It’s Friday night again, and so I find myself donning my favorite black shirt and slacks for a movie date with myself. Last week I spent the entire night at the beach alone and the week before that, I stayed in my living room with nothing but a big bucket of popcorn and a ton of DVDs for my singlemovie marathon. Living alone doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t enjoy weekends. I actually find the experience very restful and a good opportunity to think.

For once, I stopped thinking about the beauty of my Zippo lighters and focused on the productive things I did for the week. I paused for 10 minutes, then, feeling good about myself, decided to take myself out for a week well done. I encourageyou to have this type of attitude towards yourself too. You will be amazed on how hardworking and determined you have been in doing various activities, even just by hitting the gym or skipping that slice of pizza.

1. Where to go. There are so many places where you can be alone and avoid getting lonely. This will, of course, depend on your personality, whether you’re the type who wants to be around people all the time or the type who prefers solitude. If you like contemplating a lot, you can spend Friday nights in an empty football field and just enjoy the sky. You can also go to the beach and just seethe waves. Bring a pen and paper with you, as well as your Engraved flasks and start writing or drawing about whatever you’re thinking.

Even if you’re the socializing type, you can still contemplate and reflect by joining groups that help you de-stress and relax. There are plenty of seminars and sessions offered weekly to individuals who just need solace from all the rush around. You can also get out of your comfort zone and hang out with people at work, even your own boss.

2. What to do. Have a glass of wine, binge out at your favorite restaurant, play badminton or pool, meet with old college buddies, chat online, go to a show or movie, etc. These are just some of the traditional things that can help you relax and unwind for the weekend. Listen to what your mind and body is telling you and follow it. Sometimes, a part of my head triestto tell me how difficult it is to go rock climbing, but I just practiced saying “yes” to all the suggestions that would come on a Friday.

Try saying “yes” to all possible activities that your mind tries to indicate. I said “yes” to asking my beautiful college out on a date, I said “yes” to buying Cheap groomsmen gifts for my sister’s wedding the next day, I said “yes” to daring getting thrown out of the club. Not all my positive responses led to optimisticmoments, but it did make me feel alive, even for just a single Friday night.