I had a friend message me for lunch, so I headed out to Shibuya to meet her. Rather than lunch we had an amazing matcha dessert parfait, and we spent three hours talking about our lives, our hopes, and our struggles (friendship is beautiful, no?). The three hours felt too short, but since I had spent the extra money outside my commuter pass to travel to Shibuya, I thought why not solo adventure around a bit?
It was an extremely fun solo date in Tokyo. From LOFT (a store that has everything you could ever need), to the Nintendo and Pokemon stores, to the Disney store and then an 8 story IKEA. Omuraisu with a delicious soup, the opportunity to hold a puppy, observing Shibuya crossing from above, shopping at Uniqlo, and an admiration of the hachiko statue. Finally, I ended the day watching the sunset in a park that was very much above ground. The activities of the day were all fun, but to be honest, the day meant a lot more than that.
As I sat in the park, reflecting on the last however many hours I had been in Shibuya, I had a realization. At the beginning of the day, I had been scared of doing a lot of the things I did completely by myself. Eating alone at a restaurant, shopping without a friend, asking to hold a puppy. However, by the end of that day, I feel like I have confidence in myself as an independent person. I feel like I can go anywhere and figure it out by myself. I could handle whatever situation came my way.
Because of this solo adventure in Shibuya, I went to a random gym the other day (gyms are already intimidating, but one in a second language?). I opened the door for a package (something I would never do before). I have been more open about my feelings, and I have decided I don’t need to prove my worth to anybody. That solo adventure completely changed my perspective on being here, on being anywhere, and on life in general. If this sounds really dramatic, it is because it IS beautifully dramatic.
Do not be afraid to do things on your lonesome! (Obviously be careful depending on where you are and what you’re doing). It might feel uncomfortable or lonely sometimes, but the independence and self-confidence you gain by taking those steps into the unknown is worth it.
Safe travels!
