Can you be happy alone?
Does living a lonely life have to make you unhappy? Is there a way to live a lonely life happily?
There’s a difference between being lonely and being alone. You can be completely happy being alone and totally miserable being with a group of people. Sometimes people feel lonely when they’re in large groups, with their friends, or even in marriages.
Loneliness is an emotion that, when gone unchecked, can take a toll on your mental health. If you’re feeling lonely, you might also feel depressed and isolated. When this happens, it’s important to seek out help from a mental health professional.
Why Do You Feel Lonely?
How do you live a lonely life happily? If you’re feeling lonely, you may need to examine why you feel that way. What can you do to change it? Take a look at your day-to-day life and examine what’s making you feel lonely.
Some people prefer to be alone. They want to live alone and/or work alone. This doesn’t mean they’re unhappy or lonely, however. Sometimes people prefer to be by themselves. And that’s perfectly normal.
The problem is when you start to have feelings of loneliness. It’s like you’re missing out on what everyone else is doing. Sometimes you may even feel FOMO (fear of missing out). If you spend a lot of time on social media, you may have a case of FOMO that creates a greater sense of loneliness.
There are people who need a combination of alone time and time spent with other people in social interactions.
Do you feel lonely, or do you enjoy solitude? If you enjoy being by yourself but you start to feel lonely, what can you do to change that?
If you’re feeling lonely, try seeking out social interactions. Maybe you get together with a friend or a small group of people somewhere quiet where you can talk.
The main difference between being lonely and being alone is the emotional attachment you feel. Loneliness is a feeling, being alone is a state of being. You can feel happy being alone and lonely with a group of people. Loneliness has to do with your relationship with yourself.
Take Care Of Yourself
It’s important to know when you need time alone and when you need to be around other people. Being lonely and happy doesn’t have to be difficult. The more comfortable you are with being alone the better equipped you are to deal with feeling lonely.
To take care of yourself and your mental health, you need to know yourself and your emotional needs.
Sometimes you need to recharge in your own space. Going out with people is great, working with people is great, but not everyone thrives in those situations. It’s important to understand your limits and to know what brings you joy.
The Importance of Self-Love
When you choose not to go out, it’s hard not to feel like something’s wrong with you. Being introverted is ok – it doesn’t mean you don’t enjoy being with other people. You get your energy from being alone, and that’s completely fine. The important thing is that you love yourself, especially when you’re alone.
You need to know yourself to love yourself. If you understand what you need, you’ll be more likely to be happy if you’re alone. Loving yourself comes first before you can love anyone else. At the end of the day, we’re all alone in our own ways. It’s important to love yourself and who you are.
Self-love is one way to live a lonely life happily.
If you’re happy being alone, you have a good relationship with yourself. We all need a balance of being by ourselves and being with other people. If you’re lonely in a group of people, you may need to examine your relationship with yourself as well as others to understand why you feel lonely in a group.
How To Fill Your Time in a Meaningful Way
You can be lonely and happy at the same time if you do things to keep yourself active, both physically and mentally. Physical exercise, mindfulness, yoga, hobbies, cooking, baking, and reading are all ways to be alone and happy. If you’re feeling lonely, pull out a puzzle or go for a brisk walk. Do something that makes you feel connected to yourself.
One of the ways that people demonstrate feeling happy to be lonely is by traveling by themselves. Traveling alone can help you learn things about yourself that you wouldn’t necessarily know if you were with another person. You can have experiences that can turn loneliness into happiness.
There are other ways to be lonely and happy and fill your time in a meaningful way:
- Volunteer
- Develop a healthy relationship with yourself
- Learn something new
- Spend time in nature
- Practice gratitude
- Take a break from social media
- Take yourself on a date
- Meditate
- Foster or adopt a pet
These are things you can do in your day-to-day life that may seem small but can help you be happy to be lonely or alone.
When To See a Professional
If you’re having a hard time being alone and feel lonely all the time, it’s time to seek out a mental health professional. Being lonely can affect your mental health and your day-to-day life.
If your life is disrupted by feelings of loneliness, seek out a mental health professional.
It’s time to get help if you’re not happy to be lonely. If your life doesn’t bring you joy, find a mental health professional who can help you find ways to manage loneliness and find things that bring you joy.
Next Steps
If you want to discuss resources for therapy for loneliness, we are here to help. Contact us for a free consultation today.
