This is How to Distinguish Between Being Alone and Being Lonely

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Being alone means being in solitude- being by yourself. When you’re alone, you’re without the company of others. Being lonely, on the other hand, means having feelings of abandonment- being sad due to being isolated and alienated from others.

Alone is a state of being. Whereas, loneliness is a state of mind. An emotion. You can be in a room full of people and though you may not be alone, you can be lonely. It’s not about the number of people around you, it’s about how you feel.

When you’re alone, you can be happy. When you’re lonely, you can’t.

Being alone is sometimes beneficial because it allows you to focus on a project without disruption and makes concentration so much easier. So, you can be alone without necessarily being lonely. And everyone needs a little bit of “me-time” every day!

Being alone is being at home by yourself and enjoying a good book.
Being lonely is that dull ache in your chest after you’ve lost a family member or been thrown under the bus by your friends.

Here’s how to beat that awful feeling of loneliness:

1. Concentrate on your hobbies. Do something you enjoy doing- preferably something that takes a little concentration and consumes some time.

2. Get up and move. Exercise works wonders and has a way of producing endorphins that make you feel good. Dancing to some good music is a great picker-upper!

3. Do a home-improvement project. Clean out your garage or declutter your closets.

As you know, I was bullied for six long years in school. But I also had hobbies that distracted me from some of the loneliness.

My writing and art projects at home were one of the ways I survived those lonely years. They made things a lot more bearable and when I’d finish a project, that feeling of accomplishment I’d get would always supersede any feeling of abandonment I felt!

Never fear being alone. Too many people think that because you’re alone, it means you’re lonely. It doesn’t!

With knowledge comes empowerment!

0 thoughts on “This is How to Distinguish Between Being Alone and Being Lonely

  1. CareTrain says:

    You know what the worst feeling in the world is though? Feeling alone in a crowded room. It is a horrible feeling. I think so many of us are guilty of wanting people in our lives so much. We settle in relationships, we go though the motions, etc. Plus I will tell you something I need to get better at. I have some great friends but I need to talk to them more, cut up with them more, commit better, spend time with them. I get busy and go long periods of time not speaking to them or I get distracted and will sort of have a text or Social Media conversation but I am doing a bunch of things at the same time instead of giving them my undivided attention. I hate when others do that to me, but I am just as guilty!

    • cheriewhite says:

      I know how you feel! Sometimes I get so busy that I barely have time for my friends and I think it’s unacceptable! I’m thinking about making the time to go see a friend even if it’s once every two weeks. Life gets in the way and we get so caught up in taking care of business that we have no time for human connection. It happens to the best of us. Sending you lots of love! 💖🌺🌷

  2. chris ludke says:

    It took me a few years to get used to being alone but it’s much better than being in a bad relationship and you have the time to think about your life and figure out the lessons you need to learn from it. Now I don’t want to give up an inch of freedom.

    • cheriewhite says:

      It’s hard at first, Chris. I went through the same thing after my last husband passed away. But once the grief passed I enjoyed being single. It took my current husband 2 years to get me to marry him. But I look back now and realize that maybe I was also afraid of having to bury another husband.

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