Ladies Who Lunch…Alone

It will come as no surprise to long-time readers of the blogs that we nuts love a good meal out. There’s nothing quite like sharing a meal over good conversation with friends. But what happens when you don’t have a dining companion? I found myself in this situation a little while back. I had a mid-week day off, a grumbling stomach and didn’t feel like cooking. Sure, I could have waited, tided my hunger over until I could find a dinner companion, but I just didn’t want to. So, I started thinking – should I just go by myself?

I spend a fair bit of time alone; especially considering my boyfriend and I have very different work schedules. While I often wish we had more time together, I know we both appreciate some alone time as well. I’m comfortable being by myself and have definitely frequented coffee shops and food courts for lunch breaks on my own. But I’d never taken myself out for a sit-down meal.

Unfortunately, I think that there is stigma to dining alone. In fact, one of my favourite TV shows highlights this topic, and I always assumed that a lot of people thought like Chandler…

Perhaps it’s because I’m older and wiser now, but I decided that despite the stigma – I just didn’t care. I wanted to go out to lunch, so out to lunch I went. The result? A full belly and a feeling of satisfaction. I was proud of myself for leaving behind the negative implications that have prevented me from dining alone in the past and for feeling self-assured enough to go through with it. I know that for some people, dining alone is completely normal, but it was a first for me and I can say with confidence that it won’t be the last.

I believe that it is important to spend time alone. In fact, this article proposes that a lack of solitude actually blocks our joy in relationships, our creativity and our peace of mind. Spending time alone, “actually allows us to connect to others in a far richer way”. In a world where we are constantly engaging with our peers in one form or another (thanks to smart phones and social media), it is important to take time by ourselves to work out our thoughts, process our problems and emotions and essentially calm down. We live in a rapid-fire society, where we are constantly connecting with everyone but ourselves.

So, I think that I will continue to make an effort to spend meaningful time alone. Of course, I will continue to make time for my friends and loved ones, but everyone once in a while I promise to take myself out for lunch and appreciate the solitude.

Have you ever dined alone? Do you do it often? Let us know your thoughts on dining alone by leaving us a comment below!