Flying Solo
Hi, I’m Codey and for those of you that haven’t read my “About the Artist page, let me re-introduce myself. In short, I’m a 24 year-old hipster/geek living in SoCal just trying to juggle the obstacles of life.
While some of my friends might find this surprising to hear, when not spending time with my family or friends, I am a total introvert. I love to explore new places and see new things and sometimes, just go out by myself. I know what some of you are thinking, “How is that fun?” or “But why?” and I can understand why you’d think that. As humans, we crave social interaction with others, but sometimes it’s nice being in our own space and taking a break from the crowd.
As someone who loves being in front of others or being the loudest in the room cracking jokes, I still love going out in public and just being alone. Yes, I know that sounds lonely, but to be honest it is one of my favorite things to do. I find it extremely relaxing to go to new coffee shops and draw in a sketchbook or simply zone out and listen to music while I sip on an iced coffee. Sometimes the louder the environment, the easier it is to completely zone out as my mind constantly craves outside audio stimulation. By sitting in public and just simply concentrating on a single point, I can completely block out the world which lets me clear my mind of the anxiety I may have at the moment.
One of my favorite things to do alone is go shopping. Yeah, I know that may be weird coming from a dude like myself, but it's true. When shopping alone, you have nobody waiting on you because you're either taking too much time looking at stacks of comic books or because you are trying on so many outfits in the fitting room. Believe me when I say I’m a nerd, because I have spent hours looking through heaps of comic book long-boxes while my family waited for me in the car trying, just trying to find that perfect piece to add to my collection. Honestly, I find going out and shopping alone extremely cathartic. Yes, while writing this blog I can definitely see that I may have a spending problem, but that is NOT the point! 😂 What I’m saying is that every once in a while everyone should give it a try and see how relaxing it really is.
One of the benefits to being alone is that it lets you sort out the disorganized thoughts and emotions you have tangling up in your head. Last year when Disneyland was still open, I bought an Annual Pass for the first time in my life. While grieving the loss of my mother, I would go to Disneyland. For some reason, just going to the Happiest Place on Earth and watching shows or riding Space Mountain in the single-rider line made things easier to process. When I felt overwhelmed with everything I was thinking about, a trip around It’s a Small World and a churro helped me clear my mind. Or even when I needed a quiet moment to myself, I’d buy an iced coffee and just sit on a bench and people watch. I went through major depression after losing my mom and somehow just being at Disneyland alone to sort out how I felt, made it easier to get through.
Yes, while I know it sounds scary to try and do things alone, you may be surprised at just how relaxing you may find it. Being by yourself can be extremely calming if you are looking for that possible escape from the insanity that is our world right now. If you are the kind of person that likes to try new things, I definitely suggest it. You may even find a part of yourself you never knew before!
