Solitude: The Science and Power of Being Alone

Cover
Half-title
Title page
Imprints page
Contents
Note to the Reader
Introduction
Chapter 1 Solitude Is Not Just for Hermits, Poets, and Billionaires
	First, a Little History
	Solitude with a Lowercase s
Chapter 2 Everyday Solitude for Everyday People
	Complete Solitude; or, Buddha-Style Solitude
	Private Solitude; or, Down-to-Earth Solitude
	Companionate Solitude; or, Partners-in-Solitude
	Public Solitude; or, Alone in a Crowd
Chapter 3 What Makes Solitude Great?
	Doing What You Want
	Being Who You Are
	Getting Real in Solitude
Chapter 4 Mapping the Benefits of Solitude
	North: Toward Self-Reflection
	South: Toward Rest, Relaxation, and Renewal
	East: Toward Enrichment and Creativity
	West: Toward Peak Experiences and the Good Life
Chapter 5 What's Choice Got to Do with It?
	People, Not Puppets; or, The Importance of Choice
	“The Last of Human Freedoms”
	Locked Down and Alone
	Preference for Solitude
	The Drive to Thrive in Solitude
	Reframing Alone Time
Chapter 6 Balancing Solitude with Social Time
	People Need People
	With Loneliness, Perception Is Reality
	People Need People . . . but Not 24/7/365
	People Need No People, at Least Sometimes
	The Symbiosis of Solo and Social
	DEFINING ''Aloneliness''
Chapter 7 Super/Natural Solitude
	Prescription (.): Nature
	The Mental and Physical Upsides of “Soft Fascination”
	Alone, but in the Company of Nature
	“Freedom from” and “Freedom to” in Natural Solitude
	Flowing with Nature
Chapter 8 Finding Your Happy Place in Solitude
	Sensory Overload
	Honoring Our Senses
	Stepping Away from the Fray
	Quietude (the Love Child of Quiet and Solitude)
Chapter 9 Can We Get Better at Being Alone?
	Who Finds Solitude Tough, Why, and What Can They Do about It?
	Who’s Content in Solitude, and Why?
	Building Resilience in Solitude
	How Optimism Enhances Resilience in Solitude
	How a Growth Mind-set Supports Resilience
	How Self-Compassion Supports Solitude
	Curiosity Is Key
	Being Present in the Moment
Chapter 10 Solitude across a Lifetime
	Solitude through the Ages
	Age Matters in Loneliness and Solitude
	The Big Picture on Solitude
	Shaping Everyday Solitude
Acknowledgments
References
Index