At this very moment, I am on my metaphorical mountaintop. This is where I think. This is where I write.

I do not have my phone or my laptop with me. I have no idea whether or not the man in whom I am interested has texted me. I have no clue if that publicist has emailed me back. I don’t know how many “likes” my recent photo on Instagram has earned.

I’m not sure if anyone has commented on my Facebook status – and I don’t care. I also don’t care what I may be missing out on at this very moment.

Your mountaintop could be anywhere. Perhaps it’s a remote cabin, a secluded beach, your favorite park or your private patio. The only thing you should have with you is your notebook, your pen, your thoughts and your dreams.

Even one hour on your mountaintop can be extremely beneficial; how often you go there is up to you and your needs. One hour per day? One hour per week? Whatever you want.

Why We Need Alone Time

Your mountaintop is an important place for you to visit often. Many people in our generation do not give themselves enough alone time. In fact, many of us tend to avoid being alone, whenever possible.

When we are truly alone, free from any and all distractions, we are at our mountaintops. It’s where dreams turn into plans, thoughts turn into articles and talents become realized. This is where we find fulfillment. Being alone can help us realize our potential and achieve self-actualization.

Experiencing True Loneliness Is Important For Personal Growth

Going through periods of real loneliness is important for character development and personal growth.

Sometimes, you find your mountaintop; other times, your mountaintop finds you. This happens when, for one reason or another, we feel lonely, are forced to make light of it and spend time alone.

Perhaps the loneliness you experience is a result of you falling out of contact with your closest of friends, breaking up with someone or moving to a new city, where you don’t know anyone. Whatever the reason, being lonely can lead to great things.

It can give you time to work on yourself, make changes, realize your passion and reinvent yourself. It allows you to follow through with a particular business plan or travel to the places where you always wanted to go. The possibilities are infinite.

The Loneliest People Are Often The Quickest To Find Self-Fulfillment

The motivation required for change or success often comes from effects of adversity and loneliness. Everything happens for a reason, and oftentimes, loneliness is a necessary component to push someone in the right direction.

The desire for security and happiness is human nature, and if we don’t like feeling forlorn, we must make the necessary changes. If we are not excited to wake up in the morning, we’ll find some way to change it.

We Cannot Continue To Distract Ourselves In An Effort To Forget What Is Making Us Unhappy

When you are on your mountaintop and have no distractions, you might gain a fresh perspective on your life.

When you start to think about what is making you unhappy, you will start to ask yourself why you are allowing whatever it is to continue. As soon as you discover these plans for change, the change itself will feel less overwhelming.

I Come Here To Think

You have endless opportunities at your fingertips. Use your mountaintop to reflect on what it will take to get where you want to go.

Too often, we have great ideas on which we never follow through because the thought of what it will take to accomplish something feels overwhelming. We are too distracted to think our way to the top, and an overwhelming concept, however great it might be, is often put on the back burner.

Think about the milestones you wish to achieve and whether or not your current routine is helping you to achieve them.

It is in your power to achieve what you want in life, but procrastinating will get you nowhere. Take a break from procrastination, and instead, go to your mountaintop and look up or look ahead, but don’t look down.

This article, written by Erica Gordon, was originally published on Elite Daily