Before you dive into this article, I need you to know that self-solitude and loneliness are a ‘thing’. You’ll not only embrace self-solitude more than before, but you’ll also see loneliness in a different light.
There is such thing as “being alone without being lonely”, and we’re about to dive deeper into it.
It’s important not to mix the meaning and facts about self-solitude and loneliness together. These are two different situations though people make them seem alike.
Yes, you can be alone without feeling lonely. You can enjoy the bliss that comes with being all by yourself, in a calm place, doing anything you like. Yes, you don’t have to be with people to feels less lonely. Loneliness can happen even when you are amongst people.
While loneliness is the situation where you are feeling unhappy, restless, or uninspired, Self-solitude, on the other hand, is a positive way of accepting loneliness. It’s a state of loving, engaging and providing yourself with the kind of company you would naturally desire.
These two can happen at any point in one’s life. Loneliness can occur at work, with friends, in the church, in a relationship, in any situation. If you keep surrounding yourself with people or things that don’t fit into your definition of happiness, you’ll always feel lonely and excluded.
Same situations with self-solitude. You can decide to be on your own, alone and enjoy your company. You can do this even when you have friends to hang out with or families to go home and meet. It’s called a “me-time” for a reason. It’s the only time you get to spend time with yourself: chatter, write, admit, correct, live and do just about anything you like.
Though loneliness is an unpleasant feeling that causes one to feel exhausted, lonesome, deserted and gloomy, it is to be expected, human, and we should own it.
Self-solitude and Loneliness: When Loneliness Knocks
First of all, different situations cause loneliness. It could happen due to something as sad as losing a loved one, separating from a relationship, moving to a new location, physical isolation or as simple as being away from friends for long.
Everyone’s feeling and expression of loneliness is different because it’s personal. Some people experience deep, constant feelings of loneliness that don’t disappear, notwithstanding their situation or the number of friends they may have.
There are several reasons people experience this kind of loneliness. They may feel unable to like themselves, be liked by others, or lack self-confidence.
Thinking about what makes you feel lonely could help you find different ways to feel better and what approach could be better than self-solitude.
If you’re feeling lonely, remember,
- You are not alone.
- Loneliness is a normal human emotion.
- Loneliness doesn’t mean you’re weird.
- Loneliness isn’t the end of your life.
- Even the happiest person can feel lonely.
- You can/will bounce back from it.
Maybe this is the time to focus more on yourself than before. The world isn’t against you. Life is, instead, giving you the chance to explore things in your life. Yes, “it’s easier said than done” but, “practice makes perfection”, right?
The following tips will come in handy when you’re ready to have a ‘me-time.’ Please note that you don’t have to wait until you’re lonely or just bored to experience self-solitude. Feel free to take some time off and enjoy your own company whenever you feel the need to do so.
Self-solitude and Loneliness: Ways to Practice Self-solitude
- Talk to and with yourself. Get to know yourself more. What happened during the day or week? Who did you meet? Which outfit would you like to wear next? What meal are you craving? What would you like to learn more about? There are things you can talk to yourself about.
- Go on dates with yourself. There’s so much beauty in the world waiting for you to explore it. At your time, when you can, take yourself out. Do what makes you happy. Dance, sing, write, chat, do whatever makes your soul sing, friend.
- Time for self-reflection. This is a great time to gain a better understanding of yourself and the world you live in. Being with yourself can give you room to think clearly.
Being happy and knowing what makes you happy as an individual is essential. Self-solitude allows you to explore and re-discover yourself more inwardly.
