[grwebform url=”https://app.getresponse.com/view_webform_v2.js?u=wfNAY&webforms_id=57753701″ css=”on” center=”off” center_margin=”200″/]
11 Pro Tips How to Cope With Loneliness
How to cope with loneliness is a question that many people deal with as children or adults Feeling lonely is a challenge. And if you’ve ever experienced chronic loneliness, you know how dire those feelings can become. Everyone experiences loneliness from time to time. It’s a very normal and natural experience. All human beings feel lonely for various reasons over the course of their lifetimes. However, when feelings of loneliness persist for long periods of time, you may be facing chronic loneliness.
Regardless of how severe difficult chronic loneliness feels, it is possible to break the cycle and begin to feel better and more connected to other people again. Consider these eleven pro tips to break that cycle and conquer your feelings of chronic loneliness for good.
Pro Tip 1: Rethink the way you view connecting with others.
In the age of modern technology, connecting with others doesn’t have to be face-to-face to leave you feeling better. For example, you can chat with folks online or set up video chat dates. This allows you to catch up with old friends living too far away to hang out in-person.
Play in tournament style games. You can also find online forums in which you can chat with like-minded people. It may take several hit or miss tries, but a little searching should uncover an online group that would be perfect for you. One caveat: Don’ allow too much time online to replace your face to face interactions with other people.
Pro Tip 2: Make an effort to spend more time in populated places, even if you aren’t actively speaking to anyone or interacting with others.
When you’re chronically lonely, many things can cause extreme emotional reactions. For instance, the mere idea of spending time trying to interact with people can send you into a spiral of exhaustion. Instead of pushing yourself too hard, especially in the beginning of your battle against loneliness, start small. Start by spending time in populated places instead. Read in a busy coffee shop or do some homework in the library instead of your bedroom. Merely spending more time around other people can chip away at those lonely feelings.
Pro Tip 3: Volunteer somewhere in your local community.
Taking on volunteer work is another great way to fight against chronic loneliness. When you’re volunteering, you and the other people working with you all have a common goal – to get the volunteer work completed. With this common goal, conversation and connection comes easily. As a bonus, you’ll be doing a good service to individuals or an organization in your community.
Pro Tip 4: Spend your free time as positively and productively as possible.
When you have free time, spend it on activities you really, truly love to do. Often, chronically lonely folks may feel inclined to lie around and withdraw from living life – even when living involves doing activities they love independently. Spend your free time productively and positively by doing things that bring you some joy.
Pro Tip 5: Do at least one self-compassionate act each day.
Make a point to be kind to yourself. Engage in some self-compassionate acts that show yourself how much you care. This basic form of positivity begins to chip away at the negative thoughts that often accompany chronic loneliness, such as feelings of uselessness, worthlessness, or hopelessness.
Pro Tip 6: Don’t be scared of talking to a mental health professional.
If your feelings of chronic loneliness don’t show any signs of improvement or begin to feel way too difficult to handle alone, don’t be scared to see professional help. Mental health professionals, such as counselors and therapists, are specially trained to help people struggling with all sorts of emotional issues such as chronic loneliness.
Unfortunately, reaching out to mental health professionals tends to carry some negative stigma – some people believe that only “crazy” people need to talk to a counselor or therapist. This is completely false. Mental health professionals are great listeners who can help you find strategies for overcoming all sorts of issues such as chronic loneliness.
Pro Tip 7: Look for Groups Centered Around Activities You Like
already know that exercise is good for your body, but it is also good for your mind and your emotional state. Exercise classes and gyms are great ways to meet new people and develop friendships. There are many exercise groups and social sports leagues that are perfect for beginners. You don’t have to be a star at any sport, just be enthusiastic about participating.
If there are people you would like to get to know better, don’t be shy. Ask them to go walking or running with you.
Pro Tip 8: Make Sure You Say Yes
Sometimes when you have been feeling lonely or depressed, you might feel reluctant to talk or see anyone. You may have been saying no to invitations for social meetings. This is the worst thing you can do at this point. Say yes, get out of the house and be with people.
Pro Tip 9: Explore Guided Meditation
Guided Meditation. Guided meditation promotes inner peace, teaches us to live in the present moment and provides a great deal of peace of mind. Through guided meditation we learn to just be with any thoughts, and emotions we are experiencing, without attempting to change them in any way. Such kindness filled observation helps teach us to be at peace with whatever is going on inside our hearts and our minds.
Meditation is also very effective at bringing awareness to the fact that we are all connected. It assists us in realizing that no matter how much we feel a sense of separation, all of our lives are ultimately connected in one way or another.
According to a study meditation proved highly effective for loneliness, “Thirteen studies met our inclusion criteria and were published between 2012 and 2020 across 10 countries. Eleven studies reported improvements in relation to loneliness.” (The effects of meditation on individuals facing loneliness: a scoping review; Saini, et al).
Pro Tip 10: Speak Up
You might start with small talk with someone you meet at the grocery store or in the park. Take the initiative and simply ask how their day is going.
Try meeting like-minded people and get to know them. Think about the things you like to do. If you like reading, go to a bookstore or a library. Try the small talk routine with someone there. Be aware that this could end in up in a long conversation if you have similar interests. A nice step forward at this point would be to have coffee together.
Pro Tip 11: Join an Interest Group
Look for groups centered around activities you like. You already know that exercise is good for your body, but it is also good for your mind and your emotional state. Exercise classes and gyms are great ways to meet new people and develop friendships. There are many exercise groups and social sports leagues that are perfect for beginners. You don’t have to be a star at any sport, just be enthusiastic about participating.
If there are people you would like to get to know better, don’t be shy. Ask them to go walking or running with you.
Going Forward
These are some great approaches that you may try to get out of the loneliness state you are in. The most important thing is to take action. Keep yourself occupied. If you are busy you don’t have time for loneliness.
Whether it is you that is lonely or someone you know, always be kind. Remember that you are a good and valued person, loneliness is not your fault and it can be dealt with in effective ways. After you have recovered, you will better understand this emotion, and not only can you help yourself in the future, you can help others with similar problems.
[grwebform url=”https://app.getresponse.com/view_webform_v2.js?u=wfNAY&webforms_id=57753701″ css=”on” center=”off” center_margin=”200″/]