5 Cures for Loneliness

Last night I was alone...  I missed my kids like crazy and was exhausted from a long, sick week.  And then I decided to watch "Finding Neverland."  Epic tears....

Great movie, but lines like "Don't ever put a little boy to bed, they will wake up a day older" didn't help my mood.  I was so lonely and cold.

But I'm ok now :-) It is a gorgeous sunny day, not windy like it has been, and I re-opened this blog!  Long story, but I will not let silly misunderstandings stand in my way again.

I really want to share this wonderful video with you.  It's by Christone Arylo on 5 ways to get rid of Loneliness.  She only covers the first 3 in the clip, so I listed them all below:

1.  Yourself. Spend an evening or entire day by yourself, no electronic connection devices to others. Take yourself to dinner or make a romantic dinner at home, and spend the night having a deeply intimate check-in with yourself. Ask yourself questions like, "How are you doing? What do you really need right now? What would make you happiest? What are you really proud of me for? What do you really love about me? What can we do to make my life even better?" Write the answers down and promise to take a least one action towards your happiness. Go to sleep feeling loved, by yourself.

2.  Other people - Send out a love line. Call someone you can trust and tell them that you are feeling a little love starved. Ask them to share some of their love with you. Tell them what you need to hear and ask them to say those things back to you plus whatever else their heart has to offer. Hang up the phone or leave the date feeling seen, and go to sleep feeling cared for.

3.  Spirit - Connect to the divine, to the bigger universal source, whatever that is for you. Get out of your narrow perspective of feeling isolated or like you are on a desert island alone, by opening up your heart to receive love from spirit. Do this by journaling a letter to the Universe, by praying, doing yoga, singing, meditating, reading a spiritual book, going for a long walk, whatever connects you to a higher force than yourself.

4.  Nature and Animals - Get connected with your senses and body to nature and animals. Flowers open hearts, as do trees, mountains, lakes, anything in the natural world. Animals too! Fill your house with flowers. Lay on the ground or in the grass and feel the support of the earth. Go for a long hike or walk and notice how alive nature is. Pet a dog. Cuddle a cat.

5.  Public places where people gather -  Belong to the world. The Dalai Lama was once asked if he ever got lonely, and he replied that he couldn't be lonely when he was surrounded by so many people. Take yourself out to a public place - the movies, a café, the bus -- and observe the people around you, then begin to interact with them through smiling, small talk, or giving love to them via a compliment. When you generate love for others, especially strangers, you receive it back ten fold.

Hugs and smiles and sunshine,

Mel