When you feel sad and lonely, the thing you want most is relief. Fast. You want to feel loved and connected again.
Know you are not alone. The National Science Foundation reported that unprecedented numbers of Americans are lonely. A study of 1,500 people in face to face interviews found that 1 in 4 people said that they have no one they can talk to about their personal troubles and triumphs. That’s a lot more than in the past.
Sharing isn’t always easy because we have different needs. One part of us seeks deep connection with another person who really sees and knows you. On the other hand we want freedom to be independent. America has always prided itself on independence and individualism.
Ultimately we need each other in order to:
- Have strong families
- Develop close and mature friendships
- Have kind communities
Here are 10 ways to Not Feel Lonely
- Pray. Ask God to bless you with friends that are good for you. Realize that God is always there for you and he promises to “Never Leave You or Forsake You.” Also ask God to clearly show you why you feel lonely and what you should do next.
- Go out! Get out of the house one way or another.
- Call or text friends and make plans. If you want to make new friends, go to Meet-up.com. Join a group exercise class, church group or club.
- Limit social media. Too much social media makes you feel like everyone else has somewhere to go and something interesting to do. Realize you are only seeing mostly good moments from their day.
- Smile! Smiling releases feel good hormones, increases your metabolism and reduces stress. Go out and smile at others and you’ll feel better.
- Volunteer. Serving another person makes you feel connected and just plain good. It’s a win-win for you and the other people you’re serving.
- Immerse yourself in a hobby or interest. Taking photos connects you to your subject. Looking at old photos makes you feel good because it reminds you of all the good times you’ve had. Reading fiction helps too as you get involved with the characters lives.
- Dance. It’s helps to listen to music and get moving and groovin’.
- Write Original Love Notes. It makes you feel closer and more connected as you write and read love notes to others.
- Write in a gratitude journal. List as many people, places and things you are grateful for and before you know it, you’ll feel less lonely.
We hope this helps! Mother Theresa said it so well,
“Let us always greet each other with a smile – for a smile is the beginning of Love!”
How can you help yourself and someone else not feel lonely?