Comfortable

If I’ve learned anything in life, it’s that you need to feel comfortable with yourself. This isn’t some deeper philosophical issue. It comes down to a need to truly understand what makes you the person you are.

If you aren’t comfortable being alone with yourself, there’s no way you will be comfortable adapting to new situations. This trip was the first time I was in New York alone, and learning to trust my instincts for direction and to enjoy wandering with just my own thoughts was a comforting process. It felt weird at first to be alone in a large crowd of people, but over time became something very enjoyable.

It’s one thing to walk by yourself to class in small Eugene, Oregon, but a whole new concept to walk by yourself in Manhattan. There’s nothing wrong with company, and we all enjoy doing things with friends, but one skill many people in our generation seem to lack is the sense of self. It’s something that can’t be found on social media, and can’t be bought. It must be earned over time, and visiting New York certainly expedited the process for me.

Andrew Greenblatt 5.14.17.