What to Do Alone on a Sunday

Something that happens to me like many others on Sunday nights, is this weird anxiety starts to sink in. Especially around 5pm. The sun is starting to go down and I start thinking about the work week ahead. Sometimes I have already received emails over the weekend from co-workers about the events that will need to unfold on Monday. If this happens to you, I want to share something with you. Monday will still be there on Monday. What I mean by this is... Sunday is still the weekend. It is still the day for you to enjoy your life, relax and have FUN!

GO OUTSIDE.

My first recommendation is to walk outside.

• If you have a deck or porch, simply walk outside and breath in the fresh air.
• Calm your nerves, put the phone on silent and go for a walk
• or go for a short drive.
• Something like simply just standing in front of your home/apartment for a few minutes outside allows you to be present in the moment.
• Clear your mind of any stress and just breath. Check out the sunset if you can and enjoy the fact that you are alive and be grateful for the day you just experienced (even if you only binged watched Netflix all day).

Wait, wait! Hear me out before you scroll past this one!

I know exercise doesn't seem like something to help you relax on a Sunday night but in reality you will feel better about yourself after you do it. Not only will you feel accomplished and proud that you just bossed a workout, you could even do it in the comfort of your own home.

Yoga is something I recommend that EVERYONE try at least once! Why? It helped my back pain, helped me lose 30lbs, and you use your own body weight to do the moves. No equipment really needed other than a yoga mat and an instructional video.

I definitely recommend Yoga before bed. It will help relax the mind, allow you to refocus and tire your body in a good way for a restful sleep.

Something that I didn't know that I would absolutely LOVE, is taking myself to a nice dinner! Like, literally driving to a restaurant, sitting down alone and enjoying a meal.

It can be a little bit intimidating the first time you do this alone. Especially, if other people make it weird. Anytime, I go to a new restaurant alone, I get that, "just you?" comment with the side eye. When it happens now, I simply smile and say yes without a care in the world. People are so used to going places with other people that when they go alone, others get surprised and react with confusion.

But, I refuse to not enjoy my life AND an amazing meal just because I didn't have someone to go with.

In reality, eating alone is an amazing experience.

• You can eat as fast/slow as you want
• You decide how long to stay there
• Can eat dessert without feeling rushed or judged
• No fluff conversations needed, just simple enjoyment of eating your meal in peace
• Feel more grateful and present with your thoughts
• I normally take a journal and pen my thoughts - that's how I came up with this article actually. I was eating pho with a chocolate boba on the side in a Vietnamese restaurant close to my place and came up with 12 ideas that I wanted to write about! Talk about the creative juices able to flow.

Try it! You will feel like a total rock star for completely bossing it alone :)

When I want some human interaction, I google for events in my area or not too far from where I live. I need to be in bed by 10pm so I keep that in mind. I probably won't choose the bar, but maybe a poetry slam or play.

The cities near me are fairly large (Boulder and Denver), so things like plays, concerts, and dance classes are not hard to find. If you live in a smaller area, think about creating your own event just for Sunday nights for people in your city/town. I bet you they would love to join you for an evening walk, painting class or BBQ.

Meetup is a great app to meet new people and look for things to do in your city as well as create your own events that people can come to.

Have you noticed that most of my recommendations do not take place at home?

There is a reason for this. When we are alone, we can get sad and feel lonely. When my ex husband and I first separated, Sunday nights were the worst. He picks up or children Sunday evenings and I pick them back up on Tuesday evenings after work. So not only would I stress about the week ahead but I would feel lonely when the kids were away (the house was super quiet). I have learned that taking care of myself and relaxing is a GREAT thing, but getting outside and LIVING my life was so IMPORTANT too! So whether you have children or not, doing things on your own can really help your individuality and encourage you to continue to grow.

So instead of being a hermit crab in your house, binge watching Netflix, eating ice cream and popcorn while simultaneous drinking your favorite wine while laying on the couch... WAIT, am I the only one who does this, yikes! Hopefully you can relate. Instead of all that, try Volunteering!

There are plenty of organizations that need volunteers, so go onto sites like:

• www.VolunteerMatch.org
• www.Volunteer.gov

and search for something that interests you. Do you like working with kids, adults, seniors? Love animals? Enjoy teaching a class about something?

Get on Google and search for opportunities in your area! Feel weird about it? Try asking your neighbor if they need help with something instead or ask a family member. Something like helping your neighbor carry their groceries in, or asking them if it is okay to clear off their car (full of ice), helps them out and also gives you a good feeling in your heart. You also make a new friend in the process.

My name is Crystal and my hope is to leave this world better then when I found it. I hope to do that by inspiring YOU to live your best life. I hope this article not only gave you ideas for Sunday nights alone, but helped you realize that ACTUALLY living your life is important!

Get out there and have an adventure, the ones by yourself are just as exciting!