Solo Dates: Learning to Love Your Own Company
It’s one thing to be single—but it’s another to genuinely enjoy being alone. Taking yourself out on a date requires courage, and staying present with yourself takes even more self-love. Enter 18-year-old Filipina content creator Gela Macalalad, whose TikTok content turns solitude into a quiet, radical form of joy.
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A Journey to Self-Love
Everyone remembers their first love—and their first heartache. Macalalad always thought of herself as an independent woman, until she found herself in her first relationship. “I found comfort in having a go-to person to do everything and anything with. I loved doing life with them so much that I forgot where I ended and they began,” she shared.
@gelamac_ the making of the “lola’s kumot” mug iykyk
♬ original sound – gelamac_ – gelamac_im coming back to redeem myself i swear HAHAHAH anyways, please give me Q dates ideas (this letter is so hard!!) #solodate #minivlog #dateideas #fyp
@gelamac_ solo art date at pinto art museum bcuz why not?
♬ original sound – gelamac_ – gelamac_#fyp #longervideos #solodate
And if there’s one thing people don’t tell you about first relationships, it’s how you completely forget who you were before. “When it ended, I felt completely lost,” the creator admitted, realizing she had forgotten how to be happy on her own—an awakening that would soon give birth to her TikTok series, Solo Date Diaries. “Too many solo dates later, I’m convinced there’s so much love in the world beyond romantic love, and that I can enjoy life just as much, if not more, on my own.”
The creator doesn’t mind the commute for her solo dates—whether it’s a lakeside coffee in a quiet Pampanga café, horseback riding in Batangas, or a nature trip in Rizal. When asked if there was a particular solo date she considered special, Macalalad immediately thought of her first: a trip to Pinto Art Museum in Antipolo, originally planned with her ex. After the breakup, she decided to go alone instead. “At that point, I realized I didn’t need to wait for anyone to experience the beautiful things life has to offer,” she said. “I had so much fun doing it on my own.”
Enjoying Your Own Company
As an introvert, her solo dating journey has reminded her how much she actually enjoys interacting with strangers. “So many people I’ve met along the way have been so kind and warm, and it reminded me that there’s still so much goodness and love in the world,” she reflected. Of course, her own company shouldn’t be counted out. “Blowing my own horn here, but the best date Ive ever been on is one I’ve planned and went on solo,” she laughed.
@gelamac_ she said overstimulated
♬ original sound – gelamac_ – gelamac_ps. give me suggestions for my J date! #solodate #minivlog #fyp
@gelamac_ first time riding an ATV, and im definitely coming back!! ps. give me O date suggestions please
♬ original sound – gelamac_ – gelamac_
There’s a certain truth behind the joke: the person who knows her best is herself. The woman she was, the woman she is now, and the woman she hopes to become all live in the same quiet moments she spends alone. “I’ve become more optimistic over the past year,” Macalalad reflected. The heartbreak, she realized, had to happen for her to grow. “Things had to unfold the way they did because I was meant for something better. That’s why now, no matter what happens, I just fully trust that things will always work out in the end.”
In the beginning, her solo dates were filmed purely for herself—as proof she had done them, and as a way to relive those moments. She never expected others to resonate with them the way they did. “As the Solo Date Diaries went on, it started to feel like I was bringing my viewers along on the date with me, and I honestly love that. It still feels personal, but now it’s also shared, and more meaningful in that way for me,” Macalalad shared, heartfelt.
Raising Standards, Loving Better
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need another partner to raise your standards. Sometimes, you only need yourself. “I know now how much effort, thought, and care I can give myself. I know I can plan a great date, create meaningful experiences, and enjoy my own company, so I no longer settle for anything less than that,” she expressed, taking her Solo Date Diaries as a lesson how she approaches all her relationships.
@gelamac_ a solo date is never complete without good food, photos, and shopping! btw, loved the new @BosCoffee bistro at greenhills san juan – you’ve got to try their adobo flakes and pistachio latte!!
♬ original sound – gelamac_ – gelamac_
@gelamac_ pampanga overnight trip, next?
♬ original sound – gelamac_ – gelamac_ps. lmk what i should do for my M date!! #solodate #minivlog #fyp
In learning how to date herself, Macalalad didn’t just heal from heartbreak—she learned how to build a life she no longer wants to escape from.
Featured Image: GELA MACALALAD (via Instagram)
The post Solo Dates: Learning to Love Your Own Company first appeared on MEGA.
Solo Dates: Learning to Love Your Own Company
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