Loneliness affects everyone during our lifetime, but severe loneliness can be the cause of depression and subsequent mental illness. There are ways to battle loneliness without taking drugs or alcohol simply by making a few lifestyle changes. Here you will learn 7 holistic ways to battle loneliness.
#1 Find Meaning in Life
When your life has meaning, you feel a sense of purpose and that purpose gives you a life mission. When you have no meaningful life mission, loneliness and depression sets in even if you’re married and have plenty of friends. Loneliness does not necessarily mean you are physically alone. Many times, married couples feel the loneliest.
Do self-examination to discover causes you love. Then get involved. For instance, if you love dogs and cats, consider partnering or volunteering for a rescue where you will be involved in finding home for animals you love. Consider working at an animal shelter or even starting your own rescue group.
Finding meaning in life usually means helping others. Volunteering for groups that help others or starting your own group or foundation tend to be the most satisfying. Another example, if you have a heart for starving kids on another continent, first visit that place and learn all you can. Then find a way to volunteer to help.
Mission trips fit in well with this concept. If you belong to church with a mission, consider getting involve. You can also search for other missions that do great work. Then inquire how you can get involved. Once you’re involved in volunteer work that helps other people, you discover that life has more meaning than how much money you can make.
Don’t be afraid to explore groups or causes you have affinity for. Many times it’s hit or miss. You may really like the people at a particular group and get more involved or you may not be so inclined to interact with the group. That’s perfectly fine. It takes time and sole searching to find your mission and to get involved in causes that you feel passionate about. But its worth the effort.
#2 Meet New Friends
Meeting new friends isn’t easy, but if you just sit at home all day and don’t put yourself out there, you limit your exposure to new friends and adventures. The internet group called Meetup, is idea for meeting new friends. There’s a local Meetup group in almost every area. The groups go on hikes, visit theaters, travel to fun destinations, take local bike rides. The list goes on and on. Go to Meetup dot com and sign up. Then look for fun things and events to attend. Most people go solo so you’ll meet plenty of new friends. You can even go as a couple to meet new people.
Are you afraid of public speaking? Then join a local Toastmaster Club. These clubs are dedicated to helping you become a better public speaker. What’s really great about Toastmaster is that its essentially a club where you’ll meet lots of interesting people who are trying to better themselves by becoming a better speaker. There are usually lots of clubs in your area so if you don’t like one club, then try another. Find a Toastmaster club that most matches your personality.
Do you belong to a church? If not, consider visiting churches in your area to find the church that you most like. Get to know the people by hanging around after church for coffee or other social events. Get involved. Most churches are invested in many worthwhile causes such as Habitat for Humanity that build homes for the homeless. There are missions work, mens and women ministries and lots of volunteer opportunities at your local church. Just don’t sit on the sideline. Get involved !
#3 Get a Pet
One of the best way to help with loneliness is to have a pet. Dog or cat make the best pet. Because they need attention and care, you must invest in their lives. Keep your furry friend inside the house with you where you can bond with them. They will quickly become your best friend. They always show love and they don’t hold grudges when you’re having a bad day. Just being in the company of your favorite dog will help relieve loneliness. The act of petting and cuddling with them, releases anti-stress hormones within us that makes us feel happy. Go to your local shelter or rescue and investigate getting a dog or cat as your family member.
#4 Daily Exercise
Also, consider joining a gym or health club that has group exercise classes. Many big-name health clubs have all types of aerobics classes. Group classes are a great way to meet other people while you stay in shape. Group exercises also forces you to meet several times per week so you’re not sitting at home lonely. Connecting with other people from all walks of life at the gym is a great way to battle loneliness.
Regular exercise releases chemical hormones that make you feel happy. Get a daily regiment of walking at least 20 minutes each day. Get in the habit of regular walks and take different routes to keep it interesting. Don’t forget to take your dog walking too. They need the exercise and it’s great bonding that helps battle loneliness.
Another cool exercise group is the Sierra Club. They take regular hikes in very interesting places. You’ll hike with experience hikers, and you’ll enjoy being outdoors at the same time. What better way to enjoy meeting people in a friendly environment of hikers. Don’t worry about being a beginner or out of shape. Members are kind and patient, so you’ll quickly learn the ropes.
#5 Listen to Music or Talk Radio
What better way to fill the time at home listening to uplifting music or your favorite Talk radio host. The great thing about talk radio is that it’s informative. So you will learn more about your local and state politics and what’s going on in the world that you would never learn from evening news. All Talk show hosts are not centered on politics.
There are sport radio hosts and relationship hosts. You pick the genre of talk hosts and find a personality you like. Keeping the radio or internet on during the time at home or in the car with your favorite uplifting music or talk radio host really gives you a feeling of belonging that combats loneliness and particularly in an empty or noiseless home.
#6 Use Reputable Online Dating Services
Because of technology, we can quickly find compatible people to date. If you are feeling lonely because you do not have a romantic partner, then you should consider using a reputable online dating services. Some of the more reputable dating services are eHarmony and Match dot com just to name a few. Use these services and create your online profile. Be honest about who you are and what you are looking for in the other person.
Don’t be in a hurry to find a date. Taking your time and evaluating each potential dating partner must be done in a serious manner. Always initiate any first or second date at a coffee shop or restaurant that is public and not isolated from other people. Until you get to know the person, it’s always best to keep meetings short and in public places.
Also, meet lots of people and don’t settle on someone after only meeting a few people. Online dating services give you enormous outreach to meet many people. You will get a sense of their mannerism and discover things you have in common. However, this must all be done in proper time. A common mistake with online dating is jumping in too fast, only to discover that the person you are dating isn’t the person they portrayed on their online profile. Take your time and have fun. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t find a partner right away. Many good things in life take time.
#7 Make To-Do-List Each Day
The loneliest thing you can do with your life is sit at home with no plans, day after day. Sitting home with nothing meaningful to do, even after work, is a recipe for loneliness. Consider writing down daily tasks that must get done each and everyday.
Meaningful tasks can be as simple as cleaning your home, shopping, doing laundry or getting a much-needed home repair done. The idea is to have a To-Do-List each day and ensure these things get done. By making your To-Do-List each day, you take the focus off being lonely, and on to important tasks in your life that must get done. When you incorporate a To-Do-List each day along with all the other things we discussed, you can conquer loneliness and live a fulfilling life.
