Add a Bit of Solitude to Your Life 為生活添加一點孤獨

Add a Bit of Solitude to Your Life All of us experience loneliness from time to time. Whether you are single, dating, married, or divorced, it is inevitable. Most of us fear being alone because the culture we live in encourages external stimulation. So instead of savouring moments of solitude for inner growth and renewal, many of us are constantly keeping busy, never giving our mind the space it needs.

I used to fear solitude. Whenever I was alone, I'd slip back into the mindset common in most of today's society – that being alone means being unwanted or isolated. However, many contemporary scholars and academics consider solitude to be totally different from isolation. Solitude is a positive act that gives us the opportunity to recharge our batteries, whereas isolation has more of a negative connotation that suggests being separated from others.

The more I read about this topic, the more I've come to enjoy the time I spend alone.It is a simple and easy act that all of us can practice, and it helps bring our immediate attention to the basic things in life. All you need to do is find a moment when you can be by yourself, and try to rid your mind of any possible tension and busy thoughts. This doesn't mean you have to sit quietly on the couch and meditate. Engaging in different types of activities such as listening to music, walking or reading can all help us reach that positive and calm state of mind called solitude.

Being able to enjoy solitude has now become part of my daily routine, and it gives me time to find inspiration, motivation, and positive thoughts in my normally busy and strained life. Would you like to give it a shot? You'd be amazed at how you'll come to enjoy it. A tiny bit of solitude in life makes all the difference!

為生活添加一點孤獨

我們每個人偶爾都會經歷寂寞。無論你是單身、有約會對象、已婚或離婚，寂寞都是無可避免的。大部份的人都害怕獨處，因為我們所處的文化鼓勵外來的刺激。所以比起懂得品味孤獨片刻，來讓內在成長、更新，很多人寧可持續保持忙碌，吝於給予心靈所需的空間。

我過去會害怕孤獨。每當獨處時，我總陷入現代社會普遍常有的心態——認為獨處意味著自己是不被需要或被孤立的。然而，許多當代學者與教授都認為，孤獨與孤立完全不同。孤獨是一種給我們機會重新充電的正向行為，反之，孤立則有著更多負面含義，意味著人際關係疏離。

我讀愈多這類的書，就愈享受一個人獨處的時間。 這件事簡單又容易，每個人都可以練習，而且這也有助於立即集中注意力在生活中的基本事項上。你只需要找到一個可以獨處的時刻，試著擺脫任何可能緊張、忙碌的思緒。這並不代表你得安靜地坐在沙發上冥想。從事諸如聽音樂、走路或閱讀等活動，都能幫助我們的心達到正面而寧靜的狀態——也就是孤獨。

享受孤獨現在成了我每天例行生活的一部份，它給了我時間，讓我得以在平常忙碌緊張的生活裡尋找靈感、動機與正面思維。想試試看嗎？你將會因為自己能享受孤獨而大吃一驚。生活裡的一點點孤獨，使一切都變得不一樣！

Language Corner

-Solitude（孤獨）means the situation of being alone without other people.

-Something is inevitable（無可避免的）if you cannot avoid it.

-Stimulations（刺激）are things that make people feel interested or excited.

-To savour（品味）something means you want to enjoy a pleasant experience as much and as slowly as possible.

-If you recharge your batteries（重新充電）, you rest and relax for a period of time so that you feel energetic again.

-To meditate（冥想）means to think calm thoughts for a long period in order to relax.

-If you are strained（緊張的、焦慮的）, you're not relaxed but nervous or anxious.

-To give something a shot（試試看）means to attempt to do something new.

Katie Deng

來自紐西蘭，目前任職於英國文化協會，專精於成人英語及IELTS考試準備教學。除了台灣，Katie也曾在日本及紐西蘭擔任英文老師。閒暇之餘，喜歡跳騷莎、烘焙、閱讀及出外踏青。Katie的人生哲學就像她的生活態度一樣：用微笑面對所有困難並活在當下。