Look at all the lonely people…

I found an article on the TVNZ website today saying that loneliness is contagious. I found it so interesting because the truth of loneliness isn’t about whether you’ve got a great social life, you’re being invited to parties, have friends and fun everywhere, or you’re stuck at home every night with only the tv and a cat shedding hair like no tomorrow, you can still be lonely.

Loneliness is not about the external and all about what’s happening inside of you.

One of my oldest friends left home when she was twenty. I still remember her saying that for the first two weeks of her new home life was perfect, and then all the issues and fears and doubts she thought she’d dumped into storage at her folk’s home arrived on the doorstep.

We can not expect the external things such as parties, busy-ness, success, and a better social life to fix everything that is missing in us.

If you feel lonely, it’s not anyone’s fault, it’s not anything anyone else can fix- you’re the only one who can do it. Find something inside yourself to like, start to enjoy your own company and love the person you are. You are your own constant companion.

Being alone for long stretches of time is completely different to being lonely. One brings opportunity to enjoy a quiet break, and enjoy a season of peace. The other can happen in any moment. Sometimes we are our most loneliest when we are surrounded by crowds of people. Connect with yourself, find purpose in yourself, and that horrible nasty feeling goes away.

The more you become at peace with yourself and enjoy your own company the more you’ll enjoy the natural ebb and flow of company with others. Loneliness may be contagious, but so is happiness. Which one would you rather pass on?

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