Learn to prepare something kind for yourself without needing a guest to justify the effort.

Many people cook properly only when someone is watching. The good plates, the tablecloth and the real ingredients come out for visitors, while alone they eat standing up. Underneath sits a quiet belief that your own comfort is not sufficient reason for trouble. You are as real a recipient as anyone you would happily host.

Choose one evening this week and make yourself the meal you would make for a friend. Set it down, sit, and eat it slowly, with nobody arriving to make it count.