Coping with Loneliness ღ

Loneliness can be triggered by many factors that can affect both your physical and psychological well-being. Loneliness is not the same as being alone. One does not necessarily feel lonely when spending time alone. One definition of loneliness could be the feeling of being detached from others, of feeling empty, unwanted, or isolated.

People can feel lonely when they are around lots of people but do not feel connected or supported or when they lose someone in their lives, such as a partner, family member, friend, or when they are alone and want to be with others. However, there could be other reasons behind your loneliness, too!

How do you cope with loneliness?

Loneliness can result in even more loneliness. The feeling of loneliness can make it hard for you to reach out, which might confirm that you aren't one of the crowd, which can make you feel even more isolated! It may be difficult for you, but it can be changed! The cycle of "loneliness thinking" starts to break when you approach feelings of loneliness or start to make changes in your life. Here are a few ways how you can cope with loneliness:

Acknowledging what you feel

It takes a lot of courage to admit that you feel lonely. We all feel lonely occasionally, and suppressing your emotions can make things even more difficult. A person does not become weak just because they feel lonely! It's okay to realize that you are lonely since you can start to work on it once you identify your feelings.

Finding the cause of loneliness

Searching for an answer to the question, "what exactly makes you feel lonely?" can help motivate you to make changes where they matter most! What causes you to feel lonely? What are your feelings when others are present? What if you feel lonely because no one understands you or supports you? Is it possible that you isolate yourself from others? When you begin to understand your own situation and ask questions, you will be one step closer to dealing with loneliness.

Developing a plan and working on emotional regulation

It’s totally normal to experience negative feelings like self-disgust, hopelessness from time to time but what makes the difference is the way you deal with them. While addressing your feelings, you might consider either addressing the problem by connecting with someone or addressing how you feel about the problem by handling your emotions.

You might decide that reaching out to someone on a Weekend would be the best way to find companionship when you are feeling lonely. Nevertheless, if no one responds, you might end up feeling even more alone. However, if you prepare ahead of time, you’ll know what to do! Rather than trying to connect with someone, you could deal with your emotions by talking about how you feel about being lonely. Additionally, you might want to do some solitary activities to cope with it.

Making new connections

Some people may benefit more from connecting with new people than from reconnecting with people from their past, but everyone's coping strategies may be different. Although connecting with new people is a huge step, there are a variety of ways to do so. You can look for activities that may be a good match for you, or you can join chat rooms on 7 cups as well. Sometimes, connecting with other new people with whom you share common interests or values is easier.

Examining your existing relationships/ Reconnecting

The possibility of feeling lonely in a crowd is very real. While you may have a large circle of friends and acquaintances, still feeling lonely may impact you. What if you could make some meaningful connections with them under such circumstances? In order to establish these connections, you can start a conversation about current events, call or visit your loved ones, or even send a text, take part in activities that will help you get to know the other person better, such as working on a project or taking up a sport. You can even perform random acts of kindness by leaving flowers or cooking a meal for someone.

Avoiding comparison with others

The thief of joy is comparison. Oftentimes we look at others and feel left out, but appearances can also be deceptive. Most people want others to see their best side of them, so we can't always know what's true. Social media in particular can trick people into thinking everyone is surrounded by others but it may not be the exact same in reality. Our loneliness increases when we compare ourselves to others. In addition to that, your story is very unique, different, and cannot be compared. Remember, a flower merely blooms. It doesn't think about competing with the flower next to it.

Taking time for yourself during transitions

Moving to a new town or starting a new job or joining a new school is surely a big change, and it's normal to feel lonely at these times; however, you are your closest friend during those times. Additionally, it can take some time to adjust and find a place in life, so staying hopeful that you will make it through the difficult times might be beneficial. A plan, prioritizing responsibilities, accepting that it may take time, and focusing on the positive side of things could be helpful. Sure, it will take time, but things will get better, take small steps every day.

Rewriting your own story

When you cannot escape being alone and that makes you feel lonely, try turning it into solitude so that you can utilize the loneliness to your advantage. When you are stuck on your own, why not make it an opportunity for yourself to learn more about yourself, de-stress, and learn or develop new skills? Reflecting and accepting loneliness can help you transform its negative impact into a more positive one. Taking advantage of the opportunity of being alone and identifying your fears, desires, and needs as a significant way of coping with loneliness. Consider making yourself a cup of tea and putting on some relaxing meditation music when you're feeling lonely, and take this chance to make friends with yourself.

Trying new things

It's never too late to learn something new. Doing something new, learning new things or taking classes could all be beneficial due to loneliness! In addition to making you feel better, the feeling of excitement to do something itself could also open doors for meeting new people and making satisfying relationships. Additionally, you would be able to accomplish something productive. Trying out new things is fun!

Engaging in hobbies or activities that you enjoy

Try to break the cycle instead of repeating the same thing or doing the same thing over and over again. Hobbies allow you to escape burnout and give you a chance to take a break. Your mood can definitely be lifted by creative outlets. There is nothing wrong with not having hobbies! A beginner can always start with something and find something they love; the more you explore, the more likely you are to find a good hobby for you and there is joy in being a beginner!

Having a pet

I had to include this separately! A furry friend can provide companionship in times when human contact is not possible. It is no secret that pets are amazing social lubricants, helping owners spark conversations and develop new relationships. You could also volunteer at an animal shelter or rescue group, or take care of friends' or neighbors' pets while they are away. As a result, your mood may improve, and your social relationships may improve as well.

Showing yourself compassion and kindness

All of us have flaws and make mistakes, and that's how we grow as people! Making mistakes is part of growing and learning. In place of relying on someone else to show you love, acceptance, and compassion, you can certainly give yourself these feelings. Developing self-compassion involves learning to be kind to yourself. There is no such thing as personality failure when it comes to loneliness. Learn how to embrace your flaws, replace self-criticism with positive self-talk, remind yourself that you deserve love and compassion, and above all, be positive about who you are and boost feelings of worthiness and positivity; a little bit of positivity could change your world. Show yourself kindness.

Lastly, a few words from me~

I want to tell you that I am proud of you for fighting through everything you have been through. You have really come a long way and you still have ways to go. To be able to go through so much and keep going takes a lot of courage and I really really admire you for who you are. Though I know it is a challenging journey through many thorns and obstacles in between, I want you to know things will get better and the thorns will blossom into petals of roses. Even though it may not happen today or tomorrow, I am sure it will happen sometime soon! You may feel like you've been going through this for a very long time, and that's understandable, nobody should have to go through something like this, but hey, how can you move forward without taking small steps? Taking tiny steps to improve the situation is sometimes enough. I believe in you, the inner you who believes that things will improve and you are totally not alone, we are all here for you, and you will get through this. Lots of love! ♡

Tagging a few people who might want to see the end result of my procrastination, I apologize in advance if I disturbed you! ): : @TuneIn313 @SillyGoose11 @EmmaE @thisisirene @itssoren @calmingMermaid5761 @mamtasha22 @tac0belle @neonNorth4202 @starmelon7 @Emily328 @cuteOrange213 @Greenchoice1 @RebekahRoyal @Basorexiaaa @considerateParadise6717 @Azalea98 @ShiningStars1 @Iamsidhere @Saturn0515 @SeriouslyLey123 @Paprika001 @FallenStarss @Angelx28 @VicK5123 @imlistening01 @FighterArpi @whenitsdarklookforthestars

Small steps, everyday. ♡