.png)
Loneliness is a bummer – it’s a tough emotion to navigate, especially if it’s made worse by personal circumstances or other emotional challenges you’re facing. Whether you’ve just moved to a brand-new city and haven’t met anyone yet or you’re newly exited from a long-term relationship, loneliness can spring from a variety of causes.
While loneliness is a completely normal human experience (everyone feels lonely at some point or another in their lives), it doesn’t make it any easier to face. If you’re feeling alone, there are some strategies you can use to feel a little less lonely and alleviate those difficult feelings.
Way 1: Get involved with a local organization, volunteer society, or hobbyist group to interact with more people.
If you’re feeling alone, consider getting involved in a community or local activity where the context of the meet-ups makes interacting with new people easier.
For example, if you enjoy sports, you could join a community-league softball group. If your local homeless shelter needs volunteers for organizing donations, sign up for a shift. Activities like these give you a chance to interact with new people and get to know them in a way that provides easier conversation. Since there’s a common reason for getting together, you and the other folks involved have a starting point for your interactions. As a bonus, joining a community effort or volunteer group also means you’re giving back to a worthy cause. It creates purpose, life direction, and goodwill.
Way 2: Try learning a new skill or hobby.
Have you always wanted to learn how to paint or draw? There are many new pop-ups that offer paint n' sips. Ever wanted to pick up a new language? Does the idea of learning to cook sound appealing to you? If so, these (and many other new activities and skills) make excellent opportunities to feel less lonely over time!
If you’re feeling alone, taking time to learn a new skill is a great way to keep your mind engaged, evolving, and occupied. Alternatively, if you want to learn a new skill without being self-taught, you can find classes offered in your area on the topic. In a class environment, you’ll have the bonus opportunity to meet new people with similar interests as yours. You can do this. Give yourself and others ease and grace.
Way 3: Connect with a person you haven’t seen or spoken to in a long time.
If it’s been a while since you called your grandpa or spoke to your old friend from college, make an effort to reach out to them. Often, when you’re alone, reconnecting with important people from your past is a great way to alleviate those difficult feelings while also engaging in conversation with someone who cares. it certainly helps me to reconnect with loved ones.
You can connect with a person from your past through social media, phone calls, handwritten letters, or even a face-to-face meetup, if your living situations allow you to visit each other in person. Reconnecting with these important people is a great way to boost your overall mood and eradicate your loneliness.
Way 4: Seek an online forum for folks with similar interests, concerns, or goals.
A great way to feel less lonely when you’re alone is to find a community. With the Internet, there are limitless possibilities to find groups of folks online who are similar to you like a sister circle or men's car club.
For example, you can find forums for sports lovers, cooking enthusiasts, and crafters. If you’re facing a particular life challenge, you can find support groups full of people experiencing similar circumstances. No matter what your similarities are, you and the people in these online groups and forums can help each other feel a little less isolated and alone through connections and conversations sparked by similar interests and situations.