Feeling lonely? Try these 5 tips
By Vatika
Lonely.
Loneliness, or the feeling of being alone and longing for company, is slowly starting to be acknowledged as a real problem. In 2022, the United States surgeon general, Vivek Murthey, said we are experiencing an “epidemic of loneliness” that is impacting our physical and emotional health as well as our life expectancy.
In a world where we get a good amount of our interactions online and through social media, loneliness is starting to become more and more common. As humans, we are social creatures who need some amount of human interaction to keep ourselves at equilibrium.
Although having time to yourself is important to reset and recalibrate, we also need to balance it with human connection. What happens when you find yourself by yourself so much is that it starts to affect you negatively. There are many reasons why you might start to feel lonely and these reasons differ from person to person.
Feeling lonely is a real and valid feeling, and we may not always know why we’re feeling that way. If you find yourself feeling lonely a lot, try these tips to connect with yourself and others.
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1. Journal
Journaling is a way to let out your thoughts and understand what you’re feeling. If you don’t like to write it by hand, there are many other ways to journal, too. You could write digitally or record a voice memo. Using prompts like “What am I feeling?” “What did I do today?” or “What is happening in the next week or month that I am looking forward to?” can be good starting points.
Download SheMade’s Free 100+ Journal Prompts for prompts on anxiety, overthinking, healing and more.
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2. Start a new hobby
Finding a new hobby to do can be a way for you to venture into something you may have always wanted to try out. This can help keep you occupied while you are alone or even be an avenue to finding a new friend. It’s a great way to learn something novel to you and discover something you enjoy. Try a pottery class or creative writing class. Maybe start taking walks or runs after dinner to enjoy the fresh air or take yourself out on a date.
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3. Reach out to someone
Maybe it has been a while since you’ve talked to a friend from university or high school or a cousin of yours. Maybe it has been a week since you have called your parents. Reaching out to someone via text or phone call or video call can also be a way to feel a little less lonely and you can catch up with them about the latest happening in your lives.
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4. Do something you already love
You may not need to start something new. Maybe there’s something you used to enjoy that you can fall in love with again. It can be making yourself a nice homemade pie or painting yourself a picture of your favorite landscape. Practicing the flute could be another thing you can love again. Reconnecting with an old hobby can bring you comfort and allow you to discover new things about it and about yourself.
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5. Digging deeper
Sometimes we need a little more assistance to feel less lonely. If you find that you are still feeling lonely while around people, then maybe there is something else going on. Journaling can be a good way to reflect on what might be going on with you or your relationships. If you’re having trouble figuring it out on your own, a therapist might be able to help you get clarity.
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