Are We Romanticizing Loneliness, Or Just Finally Owning It?
Once upon a time, doing things alone was a social red flag. Dinner for one meant pitying glances. A solo vacation underscored that someone must be going through a terrible time.
But lately, being alone has gotten a rebrand—and not just any rebrand, but a full-blown aesthetic. Solo dinner pics, “just me and my thoughts” captions, destination-less walks: what are we actually saying when we glamorize being alone?
Scroll through TikTok or Instagram right now and you’ll see it: moody café selfies with a paperback in hand, cinematic shots of girls walking through museums with captions like “healing in silence,” or voiceovers romanticizing grocery store runs and solo sunsets.
And yeah, it’s beautiful. It’s peaceful. It’s powerful. But it also begs the question: Are we genuinely embracing solitude, or are we just giving loneliness a filter and calling it self-love?
Let’s be honest: some of it is 100% real. A lot of us are finally learning how to enjoy our own company, how to stop chasing noise, and sit with stillness.
For the first time, being alone isn’t synonymous with being unwanted—it’s intentional. It’s a flex. It says, “I’m not waiting on anyone to live my life.” And that shift deserves credit.
But also? Sometimes that “romantic” solo moment is just a very quiet Tuesday where no one texted back, and taking a vibey pic makes it feel a little less empty.
Because even when we claim to be thriving alone, there’s still a part of us that wants someone—anyone—to see it.
To validate it. To say, “Wow, she’s doing great.” That’s not shameful. That’s human.
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So maybe the answer is: it’s both. We are owning loneliness in a way we never have before. We’re normalizing it, de-stigmatizing it, and yes, sometimes romanticizing the heck out of it to cope. And if snapping a pic of your solo latte makes the silence feel less sharp? That’s okay too.
You don’t have to perform your independence to prove you’re okay. But if doing so helps you get there? Post the pic.
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