What are some steps to overcome feelings of loneliness?
Strengthen existing relationships and cultivate new ones. Don’t wait for others to make the first move.
Get out of the house. Take a class…volunteer…join a club or book group ideally one where the members get together in person. The best activities are the ones that involve significant interpersonal interaction.
Try to appear approachable when you are out. Just smiling and saying hello to strangers can help you to feel less isolated. You can wear a sports team cap or carry a book which can spark conversations. Expressing gratitude to others can go a long way toward assuaging feelings of loneliness. Also doing small acts of kindness and sharing your talents and skills with others. Sharing recipes or tending to a communal garden can help you feel connected. Often the local Y will provide opportunities such as this. Practicing mindfulness is another great way to alleviate loneliness.
Perhaps a pet can help with loneliness. A 2022 study linked pet ownership to less isolation. Owning a dog may increase time out of the house for walks and interactions with other people.
In my next blog I will talk about additional ways to minimize feelings of loneliness. Feelings of loneliness can tip the scales into depression. If you are depressed, please seek out the help of a licensed mental health professional. If I can be of help in that process, please feel free to reach out at holtadams2002@yahoo.com or call me at 361.442.9590.