10 Ways to Feel Less Lonely

We’ve all experienced feelings of loneliness at one time or another, whether it be from boredom, moving to a new school and not knowing anyone or due to a variety of other changes within your life. Unfortunately, those of us dealing with depression feel alone on a regular basis. We could be in a room surrounded by all of our closest friends, laughing and having a good time or we could be having a quiet evening at home with our family, but despite being surrounded by people we love and people who love us, inside we feel empty, like we’re the only one in the room.

Despite these feelings, it is important to try and not let your loneliness define you, to not let it take over your life or keep you from having a good time. Instead of wallowing in your loneliness, allow yourself to appreciate your alone time. This is a good time to discover who you truly are, to find new passions, to work on a project that you keep putting off. Alone time doesn’t have to be lonely if you look at it in a positive way. Below are 10 tips of things you can do when you feel alone to help you centre yourself and calm your mind so you can appreciate the time you have to yourself.

1. Go for a walk in the woods. This allows you to escape the busyness and stress of daily life and to experience the world as it was truly meant to be before us humans destroyed most of its beauty. The fresh air and the sounds of nature are peaceful and refreshing. Reconnecting with the earth can ground you and make you feel a part of something special.

2. Spend some time in the sun. Sunlight is a natural treatment for depression. It lifts our spirits and helps us enjoy our day

3. Meditate. Meditation has been proven to relieve stress and help with depression. Set aside some time each day to sit in a comfortable spot, erase the thoughts from your mind, enjoy the pure silence and concentrate on your breathing. It takes some practice to do this successfully, but with time you will be calm, you will feel all your anxieties drift away and you will feel connected to yourself in a way that you have never experienced before.

4. Practice Yoga. Like meditation, yoga helps you to calm your mind, to be in control of your body and allows good energy to flow through your body while flushing out all the negative thoughts that are weighing you down. Exercise keeps you healthy, triggers your feel good hormones, and if you take yoga at a public class, you can meet lots of like minded people and hopefully develop some new friendships.

5. Write a journal. This is my go-to when I’m feeling lonely. I find that getting all my thoughts and emotions out of my head and onto paper really reduces my anxiety and allows me to process how I’m feeling in a more logical way.

6. Play with your pet. Being around animals has been proven to reduce stress and make us happier. Playing with a furry companion who will love you unconditionally will really give you a purpose and make you feel less lonely. If you don’t have a pet of your own, check out your local animal shelter and if you can, consider adopting one of the animals (they need our love and companionship just as much as we need theirs).

7. Watch TED Talks. There are literally hundreds of talks all filled with inspiration and creativity. There is truly something for everyone and I promise you you’ll feel more in touch with yourself and the rest of humanity after watching. Sometimes watching TED Talks is just what I need to inspire me to be the best me I can be and to give me the motivation to get off the couch and enjoy my day.

8. Read a book. If you enjoy reading then you don’t need me to explain how amazing it feels to get lost in a fictional world for a little while. More often than not I get so immersed in a book that I completely forget about the real world. The characters become my friends, the plot becomes my life, and for however long it takes me to finish the book, I’m truly not alone.

9. Pamper yourself. Appreciate your alone time and indulge in an at home spa day. Light a candle. Put on some relaxing music. Enjoy a soothing bath. Give yourself a hair treatment. Exfoliate your skin. Give yourself a facial. Paint your nails. Just love yourself.

10. Call your friends or family. Sometimes we just need to hear the voice of someone we love to calm us down and reminds us that we’re not alone in this world, that even though we may feel lonely, there’s people out there who truly care about us. Instead of picking up the phone, why not use Skype or Face Time? Seeing the person you’re talking to will give you a boost of happiness because instead of feeling like you’re just talking to a distant voice, you’ll feel like that person is really with you.