October 2010 – Page 3 – Teeny Tiny Pieces

Me time.
Solitude.
Loneliness.
Isolation.

Time spent alone can feel like a blessing or it can feel like a curse. While some people enjoy a little ‘me time’ each day, others struggle to deal with loneliness.

Whether you’re new to the discomfort of loneliness, or it has plagued you for most of your life, understand that you can feel better.

Whether you’re physically alone, or whether you’re surrounded by people who are on a different page, consider ways to turn loneliness into constructive self-care.

I can’t offer any professional advice, only my experience. This, I am always happy to share with you. Sharing what I’ve learned on my journey keeps my face toward the sun and my feet pointed in the right direction.

There is often a point at which we make a choice … to sit with our loneliness, or to overcome it. Maybe we’re faced with that choice every day. Maybe you made a choice long ago to sit, and now you believe you’ll never be strong-enough to reverse that choice. There is always hope. There is always one more thing that we can do to help ourselves.

Here are a few suggestions:

Help someone else ~ Being around others in need is one of the best ways to overcome our own loneliness. In helping someone else, we may begin to see that we have something to offer, we have strengths and gifts that others value and appreciate. Don’t expect a floodgate to open … but be willing to let a little light sneak through the cracks. There are opportunities for adults and for teens.
Find a support group ~ You don’t need to know anyone. You don’t need to feel like you belong. Most likely each of the people who make up the group felt just as you’re feeling. They made a choice to go, and to help themselves. They may have tried more than one group before they found one that felt ok. Try as many as you need to. Here’s a link to get you started: Mental Health America.
Use your time constructively ~ Read books, draw pictures, create a journal, or fix nutritious food. Do something with your time that switches isolation into simplicity and constructive self-care.
Make connections ~ Loneliness can saturate your soul. Take small steps to connect with creation … sit in the sunshine or pick up some pretty rocks and bring them into your home. Connect with the earth. It’s the source of our well-being. See how high you can stack your rocks before gravity pulls them back toward the center of the earth. Giggle when they fall.
Ask a medical or mental health provider for help ~ Exploring options with a professional partner during difficult times can make a huge difference. It may be difficult to ask, and difficult to trust, but it’s worth a try. You may need to ask more than once, but your well-being is worth it.

While it’s normal for each of us to feel lonely from time to time, a loneliness that hurts, or one that we can’t seem to escape can be dangerous. Please call a doctor or mental health provider for help.

I’m hoping you’re well today, and that you’ll join me on the path to wholeness.

Take good care,