23 Ways To Feel Less Lonely (According To 23 Lonely People)
1. Do something once a day that scares you.
“I recently got some pretty great advice this weekend and it was do something once a day that scares you. I have always been the type of person to only do things with a group of friends or a SO, but I’m trying to just do fun things alone. Like go to the beach, go to the park, ride bike maybe go to a museum, just reconnecting with yourself.”
2. Create something. Anything at all.
“Create something. Videos, art, written works. Anything at all. Then upload it online and hopefully people will want to talk about whatever it is that you’ve made. There is a whole world of people online, connect with them through whatever you’re passionate about.”
3. Take long walks.
“Taking long walks. Earphones in, admiring the surroundings sure does get my mind off of it for a while.”
4. Get a job working with people.
“Get a job working with people. Your alone time suddenly becomes very precious.”
5. Go to the thrift store, buy cheap broken things, then try to fix them at home.
“I go to the thrift store and buy cheap broken things. Then try to fix them at home.”
6. Go outside, to the woods, mountains, ocean, lake or a stream.
“Go on an adventure! Go outside, to the woods, mountains, ocean, lake or a stream. You’ll be surprised how you’re just ‘in the moment’ and not in your head. It’s OK to be alone, I prefer it.”
7. Reach out to someone you haven’t spoken to or seen in a while.
“I reach out to someone I haven’t spoken to or seen in a while. If we were on good terms before, then generally they are happy to meet up and see you and catch up.
When you haven’t seen someone in a while there might be a lot of stories to share between the two of you.”
8. Volunteer at the humane society.
“Volunteer at the humane society. It is easy to relate to shelter animals…they know what lonely and desperate feels like.”
9. Get a kitten.
“Playing with kittens makes you instantly forget about loneliness.”
10. Get a puppy.
“Buy a dog, he’ll never leave your side.”
11. Write down your feelings.
“I write. My wife left me in March and I’ve had quite a bit of loneliness lately. I usually go out and skateboard or ride my motorcycle…except I broke my leg a couple weeks ago. So now I’m at home a lot and feeling extra lonely, even though I’ve still been trying to get out with a friend or two here and there.
But yea, definitely writing. It doesn’t have to be Shakespeare. I write songs for the band some friends and I started recently. I can’t play guitar…so I just write. I suppose they are just poems without the music being there. But I don’t know. Whatever I feel, I just let it come out.”
12. Get online and chat with people.
“I used to just get online and chat to people whenever I felt lonely. Always a good way to make new friends, easier to type than to talk sometimes.”
13. Spend more time outside.
“Spend more time outside, it will help improve your mood. Usually works fairly well for me.”
14. Music is quick fix for loneliness.
“I feel alone when I don’t have anything to do. It’s a feeling that no matter how many people are in the exterior its not going to go. So best is you have to keep your mind involved you in your own world made up of hobbies and things you want to always want to do.
I usually switch to things I always wanted to do in my childhood but could not do for whatever reasons stopped me from doing it. This includes playing lot of video games, catching up on cartoons / animes that other kids use to discuss during my childhood and I did not have resources to see it. (Yeah I missed DBZ during childhood 🙁 )
I code so it keeps me busy solving challenges. I join lot of subbredits where I see like minded people in my profession. I do catch up on Twitter too.
I cook so I feel sense of independence and rest assured good food really helps to take things off my mind. So when not cooking I catch up all restaurants in my place (repeating some exceptional ones until I explore all the things on the menu.)
I watch lot of Netflix and movies so it keeps me occupied. I try to imitiate the actors although I am really bad at this for people other than me but I know how to entertain myself. 🙂
Music is quick fix for loneliness. Play your favorite tunes. Make playlist of songs on YouTube that cheer you up.
I meditate for 30 minutes once I know some emotion are affecting my mood. Exercising also helps.
I take a walk and see people on the street to cope up that I am alone. While at it I snack a little.
I catch up with old friends on WhatsApp that really helps me not to think I am alone.
Loneliness disappears when you are too busy looking after yourself and improving your own life.”
15. Go and walk where there’s a lot of popele.
“I go and walk where there’s a lot of people. Just to get outside feels good but you could meet some nice people also.”
16. Join a club.
“Join a club. There will be a club out there for you.”
17. Read. Think. Do math. Cook.
“My life is quite full. Reading. Thinking. Mathematics. Cooking. Enjoying the world. I don’t have enough time left to bother with it.
Loneliness is like a vampire. It cannot intrude unless you permit it entry.”
18. Spend that time of loneliness in exploration.
“Spend that time of loneliness in exploration; aimless walking around surrounding landscapes, curiously observing the workings of nature, investigating new topics or stories, etc.
Transforming this debilitating loneliness to meditative solitude.”
19. Accept invites, even if you don’t want to go.
“I feel lonely too at times and here’s what I’ve been doing to curb it:
Exercise. Sometimes your thoughts tend to drown you even more in Loneliness but pouring yourself into something physically demanding has helped me to concentrate on what’s in front of me.
Accepting invites, even if you don’t want to go. It’s hard. Most times I want to stay in. But if someone’s reaching out, take advantage. You don’t have to stay the whole night. If you feel uncomfortable, politely excuse yourself and thank them for the invite.
Date yourself. Solitude doesn’t have to be lonely, in fact it can be quite peaceful! Learn to be comfortable with yourself and treat yourself. Take your time and don’t get caught up in other people’s expectations to be in a relationship.
I hope this helps.”
20. Volunteer to help others.
“Volunteering is a great way to deal with loneliness. Helping others make you feel less lonely because you feel like you’re building a connection with the person that you’re helping. Also, on most occasions when I go volunteer, I meet lots of volunteers and the great part is that everyone sort of are on the same page.”
21. Be productive.
“I like being isolated, you deal with it by being productive. I read, I research, make knives, do physical training, shoot, the list goes on. You don’t deal with loneliness being inside your house doing nothing. Be inside, but be productive. I favor reading because it will self-improve your life without you even noticing it. Be happy with your solitude, there will be times in your life you will want it.”
22. Listen to podcasts.
“Podcasts. Specifically conversational ones like the Joe Rogan experience or tangentially speaking with Chris Ryan. I work in an office but I am largely by myself in the back. It makes me feel less lonely to have voices around even if I’m not part of the conversation.”
23. Learn a martial art.
“I started doing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I’ve gotten in better shape, learned a great martial art, and have a real sense of belonging when I roll/train with my brothers (& sisters). It Zens me out more than power lifting.”