You are not alone

BY: COLLEEN LINDBERG

There are times in our lives where we get that feeling that we are alone. It might happen when all your family goes to bed, and you are left in the dark, sitting by yourself and you feel this sensation that you are alone. It could happen when you are at work surrounded by people. It could happen anywhere really. It happened to me just recently on my trip to California as I sat in my new place where I knew no one, this overwhelming feeling of being alone coming over me. It’s not something I have ever felt before, but I believe it’s something that we as humans feel, some of us more than others.

In reality, we are never alone. There are always people around us that are there to support us. We just sometimes forget this. So, when we are in this position, inside this deep feeling, how do we move through it?

Here are some tips that have helped me:

1) Reach out to someone in your life. A friend, family member or even trusted colleague to talk to. Sometimes just hearing someone else’s voice will help you to remember that you are not alone. If they are a funny person, that’s even better as they could help lift your state of mind. This might be your last resort as you don’t want people to know that you are feeling this way but trust me, they have probably been there before and are open to being there to support you. We are all in this together and reaching out could also remind them of that.

2) Get out of your house and go somewhere where there are people. It’s hard to feel alone when we are surrounded by people. Maybe you are thinking, well that doesn’t work. So how about get out and enjoy nature. See the beauty that surrounds you and listen to the birds chirping. It will remind you that even though there are no people around the world is abundant.

3) Go visit animals at a rescue center. Pick up some puppies and get some puppy kisses. There is no way you can feel alone where you are getting kissed by a puppy. It might even ignite a spark in you to volunteer for a charity to help others. Sometimes we just need a cause to reach out into.

4) Lastly, find something to take your mind off of the loneliness. It could be an activity that lights you up, a musical instrument you can get lost into, a great book that you live vicariously in the story.

Whatever you do, do not let the loneliness eat you. Reach out in whatever way you can as you are so much more than the circumstances or feelings you are having in the current moment. We all go through these times that try us, that we grow through and learn from. I really believe that we go through things too, later on teach about them, not in big rooms all the time, it might just be down the road to help a friend. However, without you going through this or moving through this how can you ever help someone else? Now I get it when you are in this it’s hard sometimes to see past this moment in time, just remember there are people there for you. Even if you don’t see them.