How To Overcome Loneliness?

This topic will interest many because loneliness is not a state of mind that anyone desires. People do not mind being alone at times because, being alone, we can self-reflect or do some personal planning.

However, when loneliness sets in, we must know how to take action to alleviate it or avoid it altogether.

I can think of some ways we can avoid loneliness in our lives. Let me share three of them.

1. Cultivate meaningful relationships

We can seek opportunities to connect with others with similar interests or values. We can join clubs or organisations or take lessons to learn a new skill. Birds of the same kind will always flock together, and when you are in the right group, you will make new friends. Google for them, search and ask around.

We may even cultivate friendships with some through social media, like Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram etc. We can initiate some meetups with new friends who have similar interests.

We all have a natural circle of friends who have known us for some time. Meetups like lunch and dinner can strengthen those bonds.

At home, we can try to spend time with our own family or siblings if we are single. When we look beyond our needs to meet the needs of family members, our loneliness will be reduced.

2. Engage in social activities

Participate in social activities that interest you. Attend community events, join hobby groups, or take classes where you can meet like-minded individuals. Volunteering can also be a great way to interact with others while making a positive impact.

There are many choices for classes like learning to cook, learning software or learning a musical instrument. Attending classes is helpful because it promotes social interactions and allows us to make new friends.

Of course, we must find activities that we are genuinely interested in. Serving on committees or taking up responsibilities in a voluntary capacity is a sure way to remove loneliness.

Often the starting point of involvement is the most challenging thing to do. But once we get active and involved, we will channel our efforts into a meaningful activity to prevent loneliness.

3. Share with a friend if loneliness persists

There may be seasons in life when a person can feel very lost. Maybe you have shifted to a new community or worked in a new job. Or perhaps you have lost a job. Feelings come and go, and depressing feelings can intensify the feeling of loneliness.

Things and people are changed, and we no longer feel supported as we have before. Humans need social interactions, and when the network of social interaction is altered, it might give us a feeling of isolation and loneliness.

That is probably why emigrants to a new country must get into a social network quickly because they are in a new environment. They will eventually feel separated and alone if they cannot find and develop meaningful friendships in the new place.

Speaking with a trusted friend will be very helpful because most people will do their best to help a friend in need. A trusted friend is someone who knows a lot about you, and they will want to help you overcome a difficult season in your life. They will bring you into some of their social networks and introduce you to some of their friends.

A final thought

Our world changes quickly, and we may be left alone because of circumstances. Imagine if you were single, having two very close single friends that you would spend much time with. One day, they both had partners, leaving you out of their schedules.

What should you do? Find new friends and move on. Otherwise, loneliness will set in, and you will feel very lonely.