It's better to be alone than in bad company

As George Washington, the first president of the United States, once said, "It is better to be alone than in bad company."

He of all people would know. He was constantly surrounded by them, from his days as general of the Continental Army during the American Revolution to his tenure as the nation's first commander in chief.

Washington was touted as being a great judge of character. You can only imagine the tough personalities he had to deal with in public life. Though he was unanimously elected to two terms as president of the fledgling nation, he had no shortage of critics who were quick to pounce on policies  -- like the infamous Jay Treaty -- that they vehemently objected to.

Washington had days where he probably felt the urge to tell his detractors to go fly a kite. Indeed, as the quote above suggests, he preferred his own company to that of certain people.

For whatever reason, many people have been led to believe that enjoying their own company -- being alone -- is socially unacceptable. They're under the impression that if you're not always craving others' presence, something is wrong with you.

I would take Washington's quote a step further and say that it's perfectly fine to prefer your own company to anyone else's -- whether good or bad.

Sometimes you need time to contemplate, to unwind, to disconnect from the world. After spending ample time in busy and noisy environments, I -- a self-admitted introvert -- can only recharge my batteries when I'm by myself. Without this critical "me" time, I wouldn't be able to function properly.

Obviously, good company beats bad company any day of the week, but sometimes you want no company other than your own -- and there's nothing wrong with that.

As I've stated in prior posts, being alone and being lonely are not one and the same. While people can desire to be alone following a tough day, they generally try to avoid or break free of loneliness, which can lead to depression and other adverse outcomes. Only the latter entails a truly negative mental state.

Ironically, a person can actually feel lonelier around others than by themselves. For example, if you find yourself among a large group of people you don't know, chances are you're going to feel uncomfortable or ignored. On the flip side, being alone may not always be fun, but at least you can count on receiving your own undivided attention.

This notion that enjoying time alone makes you weird should be put to bed -- once and for all. If you love being by yourself, never apologize for it!  Alone time is healthy and ought to be encouraged in this frenetic world we live in. And it goes without saying that you should never feel pressured into being around people who make you feel uncomfortable and fail to enhance your life in meaningful ways.

George was certainly on to something.