The want to feel less lonely is something a vast majority of us share. Loneliness is an absolutely dangerous thing. It can dampen our spirits. It can kill our self-esteem. Even worse, it can harm our mental health.
If you’re feeling lonely now, you’ll need to start taking steps to combat this. Thankfully, one of the best ways to feel less lonely is to be more socially active. We are highly social creatures. We thrive and we love being around other people. Everybody needs friends and family in their lives for emotional, personal, and professional support.
With this article, we’ll talk about how you can feel less lonely and be more socially active. See these two aspects as one symbiotic thing. It will help you succeed and become happier moving forward.
Start talking to the friends you already have
If you want to feel less lonely from now on, you’ll need to start talking to your friends. It may have been a while since you’ve interacted with them. Don’t waste the gift of friendship. Talk to your friends. Ask them how they’ve been. Tell them how you’ve been.
Show your friends you appreciate them. Let them know with your words and actions. This will strengthen your bond with them. Whatever it is you’re going through now, your friends will be more than happy to help you out. Be thankful for that fact and show it.
This is a very good first step to take. Do your best to reconnect with your friends. These are the people who will get you out of the toughest and the darkest of times.
Get in touch with your family
Aside from your friends, you should also get in touch with your family. These guys are the first people in your life, after all. Get in touch with anyone you consider family. Parents, siblings, cousins, whoever. As long as you’ve been close with them, as long as you trust them, give them a message.
Find like-minded individuals
It will also help you feel less lonely to find like-minded individuals. These people share your beliefs, opinions, and interests. If there are people you can really connect with, it’s these guys.
That said, start making an effort in finding them. You can do this by joining clubs and groups. You can also start talking about your interests around other people. That way, you’ll be able to draw in like-minded people.
You can also ask people about their interests. Whenever you have the chance to interact with somebody, be sure to ask what their interests are. Who knows, the people you’re regularly interacting with might share your interests and beliefs. You just don’t know it yet.
Take advantage of any opportunity to socialize
Whenever there’s an opportunity to socialize, be sure to take that opportunity. When there’s an office party, attend it. If there’s a reunion of some kind, attend it. Whenever someone as much as asks you to go out and have coffee with them during lunch breaks, see that as an opportunity to socialize.
Of course, you should also allow yourself to relax every once in a while. This is most especially true if you’re someone who’s not used to going out too often. However, just be sure to say “yes” every once in a while. Don’t decline every opportunity. They may never come again.
See the future in a more positive light
There is an old saying that may help you deal with loneliness better.
“This too shall pass.”
That saying can be applied to a lot of things, and it sure can be applied to the loneliness you’re currently feeling.
Whatever it is you’re dealing with now, keep in mind that things are not going to remain that way forever. That said, if you’re going to look forward to the future, see it in a more positive light.
Hope for better days to come and your mood today will drastically improve. Want it and make it happen.
Make your home a better place to live in
One of the best things you can do to feel less lonely from now on is to start at home. If your home is messy and cluttered, fix it. If it’s dirty, clean it. Get to work and make your home a better place to live in. Make it a place you’ll be comfortable with. Make it a place you’ll be happy in.
This is a minor adjustment but it will help you moving forward. If your home is clear of clutter, clean, and comfortable, your mood will also improve. You’ll feel a lot happier just by doing this step. Make sure that you don’t skip it.
Start a new hobby
Another thing you can do to keep yourself occupied, busy, and entertained, is to start a new hobby. Find a new interest you can dig your hands in. Start a new project if you want to. If there’s a particular interest you’ve always wanted to get into in the past, but you haven’t had the time and motivation to do so, now is the time to do so. Getting out of loneliness should be motivation enough.
Doing this will also help you find more people to interact with. Once you’ve found a new interest, you can then join clubs and groups for that particular interest. Meet people who are more knowledgeable in those things than you are. Befriend them.
Treat yourself
You’ll need to treat yourself every once in a while. Reward yourself to feel less lonely. If there’s an item you want to purchase for yourself and you can afford it, nothing should stop you from getting it. No matter how significant or how trivial it is, reward yourself. You most certainly deserve that happiness right now.
Actively combat negative thoughts
As someone who’s dealing with loneliness, it’s very likely that you’re plagued with negative thoughts all the time. When this happens, actively fight it. Fight your negative thoughts. Whatever your mind comes up with, think of something positive that’s in direct opposition of that.
For example, if you suddenly start thinking about how alone and miserable you are, remind yourself of the friends and family you have. Remind yourself of how massive the world is and how many people are out there who can be your friend.
Start going about it like this. If and when a negative thought comes up, don’t allow it to take over your mind. Fight it. Know that you’re stronger than the negative thoughts that plague you.
Be comfortable being alone
It’s good to rely on others for happiness. You should be able to rely on others. However, if you truly want to feel less lonely, you’ll also need to be comfortable being alone.
This isn’t to say that you should “get used” to the idea of being alone. This simply means that for whenever you have to stay at home with no one else but yourself, drowned in your own thoughts, you should feel comfortable with that. You should learn how to live with yourself without being drowned by negative thoughts.
Practice this from now on. Don’t be afraid of being on your own. Be afraid of losing people, yes, but you’ll need to embrace your moments of solidarity. If you can be strong on your own, imagine how strong you’ll be with people around you.
Turn to the online world
One of the best things about the world we live in now is how connected we can be with anyone in the world. We have the internet to thank for that.
That being said, be sure to take advantage of this. Seek out online forums. Talk to your friends on social media. Chat with them. Set up a video call with them.
Although nothing beats socializing in person, you also shouldn’t miss the chance of turning to the online world. As long as it’s used properly, the internet can be a wonderful place.
Be better at the things you love
Whether it’s a hobby, an regular interest, or something that pertains to your career, work hard to be better at it. Be better at the things you love and you’ll be surprised at how that can greatly affect your mental health.
Being successful and competent is one factor that can help in happiness. As long as you love what you’re doing and enjoy the things you need to do to be good at it. Be sure to remember this. You’ll be making a lot of aspects in your life better just by doing this. You’ll be mentally healthier, personally happier, and professionally more successful.
Appreciate the little things in life
There are a lot of minor things we always take for granted. Disregard enough of them and your loneliness will skyrocket.
That said, be sure to appreciate the little things in life. It will all add up and will greatly contribute to your overall happiness.
For example, appreciate the fact that you have food on your table. Appreciate the fact that you have a roof over your head. Be thankful for the smiles you see on the daily. Be happy with your clothing, the movies you watch, and the people you meet.
Keep this mindset from now on and you’ll ultimately feel less lonely in the long run.
Be kind to everyone around you
If you want to make the world a better place for yourself, you’ll need to reflect that with your actions. That said, start being nice and kind to those around you. Wherever you go, be sure to greet people when you can. Meet them with a smile. Be polite to them. If you can, be helpful. This is a little thing that you can do, but doing it will make the world around you a much better place.
Being nice and kind to others also makes you overall happier. It gives your mind a boost so that it will feel more positive and upbeat. Try it! You’ll be amazed at how happy you can be just by helping other people. Besides, not only will you be helping yourself, but you’ll also be helping others by simply being kind.
Be kind to yourself
Something that’s just as important as being kind to others is being kind to yourself. Stop giving yourself such a hard time. If you’re lonely now, stop blaming yourself for your loneliness. Stop hating yourself for how you feel.
Instead, start being kind to yourself. Tell yourself that you’ll be fine. Remind yourself that you’ll work hard so that you’ll feel less lonely from now on. If you can be kind to yourself, it’ll be easier to be kind to others. On top of that, you’ll also feel much better if you can do this.
Find beauty in loneliness
This might seem odd, or even a little cheesy, but find beauty in loneliness. There absolutely is one.
Remember that the fact that you feel lonely points to your emotional aspect. You feel lonely because you know what it’s like to be happy, and you miss that feeling. It’s so human and normal to be lonely. Be appreciative of that fact. Take the loneliness you have now and make it a drive to become happier.
This is a mindset you can and should employ. Whenever you feel lonely, remember that loneliness can be a reminder of the happiness that was and is to come.
Seek professional help
If your loneliness is becoming too overwhelming, if nothing here is working, then it may be best to start seeking professional help. The problem may have already reached the deepest parts of your mind. You shouldn’t handle this on your own.
There are people out there who are trained and have studied for things like this. Waste no time in seeking professional help.
Loneliness is a terrible thing indeed. However, the fact that you’ve acknowledged your loneliness and are seeking ways to get rid of it is already a great sign. Be sure to take heed of the things you’ve read here. Take them to heart. Be more socially active. In time, you’ll eventually feel less lonely, more content, and overall happier with your life. Just as you deserve.