Everyone feels lonely sometimes, but these feelings might happen more frequently if you live alone. The good news is that coping with loneliness is possible and, with practice, you can learn to love your alone time.
If this is a tricky area for you, here are some thoughts that, though not necessarily easy, still might help.
Savor your solitude
Being alone makes many people feel uncomfortable, and too much time spent alone can fuel feelings of loneliness. It’s important to learn the skill of being alone without feeling lonely, especially when you live by yourself.
You might need to acclimate yourself to what it feels like to spend time at home alone. Try practicing being alone in your apartment on purpose. Write down the feelings you have during this intentional, experimental time. As you pay attention to the thoughts you have, you may find yourself becoming more accustomed to how it feels to spend time in your own company.
Find things you love alone
You can look for activities that engage your mind and that you can enjoy by yourself. Knitting, crafting, cooking, reading or playing a musical instrument are all great ways to get lost in a hobby for hours.
Engaging in activities alone can also help you focus on those activities better. Without distraction, you can really concentrate on what you are doing.
If you are in the habit of turning on the TV for company, for instance, you can choose to be mindful of your viewing habits. You might choose a favorite film or television genre and rent programs that will help you become an expert on that topic. You could spend some alone time starting a blog about great documentaries or your favorite films as a place to record your thoughts and share them with others.
Keep the outside world in mind
The idea is to find how you might best enjoy the activities you pursue in your alone time. But don’t forget to plan for the things you also want to do with other people, either in your apartment or out in the world. Having engagements to look forward to can add a sense of balance to your alone-at-home time.
Cherish your alone time
All this might sound scary to people who fear loneliness and being alone, but keep in mind that fear of the unknown generally lessens the more you understand the thing that frightens you. If you can practice and learn to revel in the special quality of your alone time, you may find that the sense of loneliness changes into something else. Your alone time could, in fact, become very valuable to you. In time, the activities you pursue in solitude will likely feel more rewarding and less lonely, as well.
You can live alone, but not lonely, by putting some new strategies into practice. Time spent alone can become its own reward. With some gentle practice, you’ll likely be able to say soon enough that you’re living alone and loving it!
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