19 Awesome Things to Do Alone

If you try out new recipes on your own and mess up, the only hungry, disappointed person you have to deal with is yourself. You can work on perfecting the dish until it's just right — then serve up a flawless result the next time you're with friends, and act like it was your first try.

When you travel with other people, you always end up making compromises on what sights to see, where to eat, and what activities to do. Traveling alone — even if it's just to the next town over — gives you the luxury of going at your own pace so that you're able to soak up everything about the trip that you want to.

Sometimes certain workouts (read: Zumba, Booty Barre, anything dance-related) can be a little bit embarrassing to learn in front of other people. Master one of these fitness skills alone, or at least work on them enough so that when you're in a class or doing it in front of your significant other, you look like you know what you're doing . . . sort of.

Go to a public place, like a park or the mall, sit back, and enjoy the show. People watching is always interesting, often hilarious, sometimes sweet, and every once in a while, it can even make you give some of the stuff you do a second thought, too.

Complete a crossword, sudoku, or, if you're feeling ambitious, a Rubik's Cube. If you finish them all by yourself, you get total bragging rights instead of having to share them with a partner.

Be bold! Pick a spot you never go to (that way you won't miss it if you can't show your face there again), and sing your heart out to a bunch of strangers. If you can do this, you can do pretty much anything.

Feel no shame as you cry or swoon alone in the corner. Who cares? No one is there to see you!

Let's face it, a lot of your museum experiences probably involve a teacher, a tour guide, and a pack of rowdy kids. Set out to see every piece of art or history a local museum has, and spend time interpreting them exactly how you want to — not how the little paper pamphlet tells you to.

Sometimes when you're on a shopping mission, having other people with you can slow you down or make you feel rushed. It's the worst when you're trying to be thorough to find the best deal or the perfect pair of jeans, while the person you're with is tapping their foot by the door.

Lay on your back and marvel at your complete and utter smallness in comparison to the rest of the universe.

Spend some time with mother nature and see how the two of you get along when no one else is around. Stop and smell the roses, watch the sun set, embrace the quiet.