Last weekend my roommate/best friend was out of town. It’s not often that I’m home alone for a few days and it’s even more rare for me to be home alone without any plans. I’m pretty much always planning ahead to go out to brunch or see an exhibit or explore somewhere new on the weekends. So, when I found myself alone with no plans, I decided it was the perfect time to take myself on a date.
What does it mean to date yourself?
Think of this concept just as you would going on any other date, except without another person accompanying you. You can dress cute and do a fire makeup look or you can go out in sweatpants if that’s what you feel like doing. You can try a new restaurant, see a movie, go shopping, get a massage, whatever YOU want!
Taking yourself on a date is a form of self-care. It’s really embracing the “treat yo’ self” mindset in an unapologetic way. And this isn’t just for single ladies like me, this should be something that everyone takes time to do. Guys should do it, people in relationships should do it, etc.
When you’re in a relationship with someone it can be really easy to focus on spending time with your partner when you’re not at work or class, and of course making time for your friends and family can also be difficult. As a result, we tend to let our relationship with ourselves slip through the cracks. I’ve been guilty of this for a large portion of my adult life. And now that I’m single and living in NYC, I’ve really learned the importance of spending time alone and enjoying the things that I LIKE without anyone else weighing in or having that pressure of trying to please someone else.
Don’t get me wrong, I am a huge people person and I love spending time with the ones I love. However, I used to hate being alone. I’ve learned to get over that and I’ve realized that being alone (in healthy doses) is not only enjoyable, but totally necessary.
What I did for my solo date
On Saturday, I slept in a little and then I went to the Deli and got a breakfast sandwich and coffee. I brought it home and ate while I watched some Netflix. Then, I got ready for my date! I decided that I didn’t feel like doing a full face of makeup or wearing a new outfit, so I kept it simple. I just put on a little bit of natural makeup and some leggings. But, I did rock some new sneakers that I was excited to wear.
The first stop on my list was a nail appointment. I had a gift card for this really fancy nail salon in Soho called Paintbox. I got a beautiful gel design, they served me wine, and it was a super pleasant experience.
After that, I was hungry and there was a really gorgeous restaurant next door to the nail salon that I had walked past before. I decided to just go right in. I treated myself to a cocktail and a plate of risotto. The restaurant is called NoMo Kitchen and it’s connected to the NoMo Soho Hotel. It was beautiful inside with tons of natural lighting and crystal chandeliers.
Following my boujee meal, I saw a movie. None of my friends really wanted to see Hobbs & Shaw, but since I’m obsessed with the Fast & Furious franchise I didn’t want to miss it. So, it was the perfect film for me to catch on my solo date. I thought it was good, but not quite as good as the rest of the series. I really missed the original characters, but I still found it entertaining.
After all that, I went home and relaxed for the rest of the evening. I had a great day and it felt really good to do nice things for myself.
Have you ever taken yourself on a date? Let’s chat about it!
xoxo, Kayla
