It took women centuries to conquer the right to be alone, to break free from the control of fathers, husbands, and society. Today, at last, they can. However, their solitude remains frowned upon, sometimes by women themselves, many of whom consider it a form of suffering or failure.

Blending historical analysis with personal narrative, Lauren Bastide invites us to rethink our perception of women who are alone: those who aren’t in relationships, those without children or whose children have “left the nest,” those who solo-travel, those who need no one—or try to, anyway.

In solitude lies the promise of emancipation, renewed self-esteem, and the possibility to move through the world, finally, at one’s own pace. Solitude can be an opportunity, and this essay demonstrates how to capitalize on it.