Loneliness is often defined as sadness, caused because one has no friends, company, or an intimate partner. The reality is that despite having those nurturing relationships, there are still strong feelings of being lonely, as we feel misunderstood, our expectations from these relationships are not realized, dreams and aspirations remain unsupported, the environment uncomfortable.
As social media has become the bane of our existence, people depend on “likes”, “comments” to validate their presence, using more and more social media accounts, communicating with emojis, joining different sites, to mask this empty darkness of being alone.
In reality, being “alone” reveling in your own presence is a liberating feeling of peace and contentment. Learning to grow from personal challenges, getting out of your comfort zone, exploring your own potential, being secure in your own skin and loving oneself is key to diminishing that feeling of loneliness.
Life expectancyspan has now increased to 90 years on average, depending on others to assuage this “loneliness” is an impractical expectation. Being comfortable in your own skin, liking your own company, enjoying your personal pleasures, letting your dreams become reality however big or small, and accepting that there will be times that you will feel lonely , but that too shall pass will make you more accepting of yourself.
Certain challenges - growing older, mental or physical disabilities, having limited mobility, living alone, low income, the loss of a partner or friend, language and cultural barriers can exacerbate these feelings of desolation and hopelessness.
Finding a healthy balance, socially, physically, emotionally, intellectually, artistically, spiritually, and seeking help, can alleviate loneliness.
“NEVER SEARCH FOR YOUR HAPPINESS IN OTHERS, IT WILL MAKE YOU FEEL ALONE. SEARCH IT IN YOURSELF, YOU WILL FEEL HAPPY, WHEN YOU ARE ALONE.”
Anonymous.
