Most of us will feel lonely at some point during our lifetime, however if it starts to have a significant impact on our well-being, it can become a problem. Loneliness can at times make us feel disconnected, emotionally isolated, like we just don’t belong.
It can be an unpleasant feeling when there is a mismatch between the social relationships we desire and the ones we have. But by recognizing this emotion it can help to motivate us to reach out to others, initiate conversation and cultivate friendships.
Believing we contribute to the well-being of others tends to make us feel better about our own lives.
Most of us want to believe we are part of something bigger than we are because we find it fulfilling. Making someone else happy can bring joy into our own lives.
Staying connected with others either face to face, over the phone or even on-line is vital for good mental health. It’s important to consider our social circle and if we are feeling isolated we should be proactive and go out and do things.
We could join a club, start evening classes or even combine our need for social interaction with a business opportunity such as on-line friendships. Conduct your own research and seek out opportunities that suit you both financially and socially.
Emotional Intelligence
Being self-aware means we have a clear understanding of who we are and how we relate to others. It means being emotionally and mentally present in situations and understanding how our reactions affect others.
Making new friends can be quite a struggle for many of us. We can be uncomfortably conscious of ourselves as we lay focus on how we are perceived. So we shouldn’t put people on a pedestal as we try to connect with others and we should be prepared to force ourselves out of our comfort zone.
We can start small by taking an interest in what others have to say. In this way we are laying the ground work to help ourselves move forward.
We need to focus on learning how to do what we are essentially stopping ourselves from doing. By taking positive action, we begin to see positive results. This in turn starts to build our confidence.
Then gradually we will become less self-conscious as we continue with our efforts. Something as simple as a smile can be a great place to start making friends.
Be Yourself
It’s important to remember that we are all unique individuals and we all bring something worthwhile to the table, regardless of our imperfections. So it’s vital we be our authentic self. If someone can’t accept us for who we are, then developing a relationship with them will be hard. We won’t be doing anybody any favours.
We shouldn’t short change ourselves by denying our beliefs, values and point of view just for the sake of fitting in.
We all tend to be guilty of making judgements of others from time to time. We don’t even always realize we are doing it. But the more judgmental we are of others, the harder we judge ourselves.
Ultimately we all want people who love us for who we are so we should express our whole self genuinely and try to be the kind of friend we want others to be for us.