Loneliness can creep up on the best of us from time to time. During this COVID19 imposed isolation, suddenly all of us are forced to withdraw in to ourselves. Is loneliness a challenge in your life? If so, it’s good to know that, with the right mindset and the drive to change, you can combat loneliness in any situation, even in this time of social distancing.
It’s okay to feel lonely. Sometimes it just happens. However, you have the power to decide whether you want to wallow in it or meet it head on. When you take decisive action to overcome your loneliness, you can have a smile back on your face in no time.
Here are some helpful strategies to beat loneliness:
1. Avoid sitting around fretting. When you think about it, getting upset isn’t going to help you, so why do it? If you’re not actively looking for something to fill your time, you’ll find that loneliness catches up with you eventually. Even if you don’t have the company of others, you can seek out ways to use your time in fun and productive ways.
2. Engage in a new hobby. If you’ve turned to your current hobbies and are still feeling lonely or bored, try to find something new and exciting. Explore a new hobby that you’ve always been meaning to try but haven’t had the time.
3. Take a class. Taking a class is a good way to come into contact with others who have the same interests as you. So you get double benefits – you learn something new about a subject that interests you and meet new people you have something in common with as well.
4. Volunteer to help others. When you’re feeling lonely, helping others can be a win-win situation. With volunteer activities, you do something great for the world and get some healthy human interaction in the process. Even during this time of isolation, there are opportunities out there to help others.
5. Get a dog. Dogs are natural friend-finders. If you have a dog, take your dog out for frequent walks in your neighborhood and even though you can’t shake your neighbor’s hand, from six feet away you can still wave, smile and say “hello.” If you don’t have a dog, consider getting one. Dogs help you break the ice with other dog-lovers.
• There are many online groups of dog owners. Find one of these communities and get involved.
6. Go to online church or other spiritual online gatherings. You’ll likely find likeminded people at your place of prayer or worship. You may even start up a new relationship with a potential lifelong friend.
7. Talk to strangers. Engage in some light chatter with strangers in online meetings and gatherings. Pass the time together and you might even start a new friendship.
8. Call a friend. Look up a friend or family member that you haven’t talked to in awhile and catch up with each other while reminiscing about old times. By the end of your conversation, a happy and nostalgic mood might have replaced the lonely one you were in before.
9. Start a social group. You can start a social group around a topic that you enjoy. If you’re a stay at home mom, maybe you’ll want to connect with other moms. If you’re really into amateur guitar playing, maybe you’ll want to get online and jam with some people. Explore different ways to socialize online.
You’ll find that with the right attitude and some action, you don’t have to accept loneliness as part of social isolation. Use these techniques to meet new friends and enjoy exciting new experiences!
