10 Productive Things To Do When You Suddenly Feel Lonely

Andrew Worley

1. Reconnect with your friends.

Sometimes commitments and responsibilities eat so much of your time and you don’t realize you are slowly becoming a stranger to your friends. The best way to shrug off the loneliness when it starts to drape its arm over your shoulder, is to contact your friends whom you haven’t seen in a while. Keeping up with them is great reminder for you that there are actually people in this world who care about you as much as you care for yourself. Having a good laugh with the people who have known you for years proves that life is still worth living.

2. Date yourself.

Take yourself out on a fancy dinner, bring yourself to the ocean and watch the sunset, buy yourself a piece of clothing that looks good on you – it’s not as sad as you think it’s going to be. When you put yourself out there and experience magical moments on your own, you’re giving yourself the opportunity to reflect about your life, about yourself, about the future that you want. You realize that there are more important things to worry about in this world than your loneliness.

3. Find a new hobby.

Search for a hobby that you can fall in love with. Not only will it help you relax, but it’s definitely is going to lessen your stress in life. There is no better feeling than to go back home after a long day and be excited to do an activity that’s outside of your norm.

4. Go for a walk.

Expose yourself to the natural elements of this earth. Breathe the cool, misty morning air. Feel the warmth of sun against your skin. Watch the leaves slowly fall off from their tree branches. Observe the weather and finally come into a conclusion that there are so many things in this world that you can’t control. There are so many things that aren’t going to happen according to your plan and learn to be okay with it.

5. Visit a coffee shop.

There’s something about coffee shops that makes you feel like you belong – almost like you’re at home. The moment you open the doors, you’re greeted by the smell of that familiar aroma that wakes up your soul. Inside, the world suddenly slows down as you notice how everyone is too preoccupied doing his or her own thing. And even if you don’t necessarily talk to everyone in the room, you can feel that you’re with them; you can feel that you’re not alone.

6. Go on a vacation.

You deserve a break. Hit the road and take that adventure you’ve been dreaming of for a really long time. Life gets better when you pull yourself out from your routine. You don’t have to grind and hustle all the time. Sometimes you need to slow down and re-assess your journey. You need to ponder whether you’re living the life that makes you happy or the life that everyone expects you to live.

7. Do something that scares you.

Once you’ve conquered your biggest fear, it’s going to be so easy for you to handle your loneliness. You’re going to grow a fearless spirit and a brave heart and nothing can bring you down anymore. Not even the demons that whisper to your ears. Not even the clouds that rain on your parade. Not even those who underestimate you. If you can win against the things that scare you, then you can win against all the odds in life.

8. Watch a movie.

Who says you can’t learn anything from a movie? A lot of films are reflections of real life. They tell stories of different people in different situations. You can find connections to the characters and sometimes you can even put your feet in their shoes. When loneliness is calling your name – go watch a movie, turn the volume up, and lose yourself in it.

9. Write your thoughts.

The easiest way to become honest with yourself is by writing every word, thought, and feeling that is living inside of you. Writing helps you figure out what’s bothering you, what you’re missing, what’s making you sad. Writing also helps you heal. As soon as you let those emotions out, you don’t realize that you’re finally letting go. You’re finally giving yourself the permission to forgive and move on. When you’re writing, you’re allowing yourself to express and vent the things that you’re too afraid to say out loud.

10. Live life.

Life isn’t always going to be full of sunshine, and happiness, and beautiful moments. Sometimes you’re going to have days when you just want to stop trying and give up. Your world is going to be coated with so much darkness and ugliness and pain – but live anyway.

Keep leaving footprints on this earth and don’t let your problems get under your skin. Walk with confidence as if you know exactly where you’re going, as if nothing worries you, as if you have the answer to everything. Show your sadness and your loneliness that you have power over them – because you do. Look all around you, find something that can make you smile, and be thankful that you’re alive. Thought Catalog Logo Mark

Angelo Caerlang is the author of Sparks in Broken Lights.

Keep up with Angelo on Instagram, Twitter and theangelocaerlang.wordpress.com

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