Can I get a table for one? This is how you survive your first solo dinner.

Do you know the story of Kiek who went to a restaurant for the first time alone for a three-course dinner with champagne? No? Then you haven't checked the site this morning. It's okay, but you can't go further until you've first here read part 1 of the Hup-Out-Of-Your-Comfort-Zone-Experiment.

Good. So, going to a restaurant alone. Fear of crossing thresholds and uncertainty are for losers. You – the gladiator that you are – take that table for one, no biggie. With these tips, you'll be dining like royalty from now on.

Step 1: kill that uncertain kaa-uu-tee voice in your head

Why do we panic so much about dining alone? The main reason lies in the fact that we fear being watched and judged by others. Gut gut, just the thought of it makes us feel the gazes of others who probably see us as pathetic. Newsflash: total nonsense, no one thinks that. In fact: people don't really care about you at all. Be aware of that. You make it a thing yourself, no one else.

Step 2: choose an accessible restaurant
You can learn to dine alone. That fancy star restaurant might be a bit too much for your first solo dinner, instead start at a place you know, where it feels familiar. That nice grand café or the bistro around the corner, for example, where there are always those newspapers on the table.

Step 3: choose your spot strategically
Are you struggling with that ‘empty’ spot across from you? Do you feel like your date hasn't shown up? Then opt for a bar spot. People who are dining alone for the first time prefer to do this at the bar. Because you can safely slide up against something. And personally: I think eating at the bar is the most fun.

Step 4: Treat yoselffff

Hey, you're stepping out of your comfort zone and just for that reason, you deserve the best glass of wine on the menu. And yes, secretly it makes you a lot more relaxed. Pathetic, you? Pff. Look at you go, man. Unpacking and stuff. Far from pathetic.

Step 5: realize that there are benefits to dining alone

That nice conversation with that handsome bartender you would never have met otherwise. Being able to do whatever you want. A cocktail as a starter, a greasy bite as a main, and three desserts if you feel like it. It's your party.

Step 6: yes, that book. Or magazine. Or planner. Notebook. Whatever.

It looks much more sociable than being on your phone all the time and this way you have something ‘to do’. Trust me: the awkward Betty in you will be happy with it. A pen and a notebook is also a good option, to immediately write down your grand new life plans. You can enjoy fiddling between courses.

Step 7: the cherry on top...

YOU MUST NOT GO HOME WITHOUT DESSERT. Just because desserts are awesome and you just survived your first solo dinner. Making memories with your lovely self: the person on this planet you chill with the longest.

Don't think, just go!

I am proud of you.

And now go, okay.

This week.