How to Feel More Connected and Less Isolated?

This article is my answer to the question I asked in the previous article titled “More connected or More isolated?”. (If you haven’t read that yet, go for that first).

The reasons for loneliness are many. But if you are feeling lonely, because of the time you spend on your so-called connections in the digital world, then this article is for you.

No matter whatever be the cause of loneliness is, we can’t deny that it is always upsetting and awful. Irrespective of the connections that we make online, most of us still feel lonely. Everywhere we turn, we are always reminded that loneliness is an epidemic.

And so, to cope with this, here are some of the strategies that can be adopted, which will allow you to feel more connected and less isolated, rather than feeling lonely.

1. Practice Digital Detox for somedays

Because of your digital overload, you experience more burnout, more stress, and increased isolation along with overwhelming emotions.

Take a break from social media until you feel normal again. This digital detox is needed to make you feel more connected with your inner self.

Also read: Living Mindfully in a digital world.

2. When boredom becomes your friend

When you are lonely, then you feel bored. And the reverse is also true that is when you are bored, you feel more lonely.

While you may associate your productivity with your busyness, but this is also true that the empty moments in your day are as important as your productive ones. Because those boring hours allow your minds to disconnect from your constant online hours and reconnect with yourself. You may perceive them as boring but that is a medium to spark creativity in you. When you are bored, then only you can look within to an enlivened self.

While boredom might feel uncomfortable at first, we are more likely to find answers and connect with our creativity and sense of wonder if we sit with the feeling and remain unplugged.

Also read: 35 Productive things to do when bored.

3. Start Writing

Dumping your thoughts allow you to get rid of your overwhelming emotions. Your personal diary is your forever companion, which never allows you to make you feel lonely. Those raw, unedited, original writings are your actual feelings that you should use to empower yourself, not just to sadden yourself.

4. Work on your Social skills

Being an introvert, I find introversion as cool and fun. But I can’t deny that we as human beings are social creatures. We absolutely need to feel connected and be a part of a community. And I am not talking about the online world, but in the real, offline, and meaningful world, where we make meaningful connections.

When you travel to new places, meet new people, you come to know about many of their experiences which you might be missing all this time, just because of your virtual connections.

5. Reach out to your most trusted friend.

No matter whether old or new, after all a friend in need is a friend indeed.

6. Take a walk in nature

This is similar to taking a mindful break. Just 20 minutes of walking outdoors can help you get away from the constant barrage of negative news. It boosts your energy level and recalibrates your fatigued brain. The singing birds, the running squirrels, and the beautiful sunsets can lower your heart rate and relax your muscles.

Whenever I feel alone, I start walking and watching nature, knowing that things will work out somehow.

7. Join a class or course

Or try something new to develop your hobbies. For example, if you are interested in psychological facts, you can take some courses online. If you are good at dancing or even interested in dancing, you can take a dance class. Or a book club, or a gym, anything. When you meet with like-minded people there, you feel less lonely and better.

8. Go to someone or something that makes you appreciate and value yourself

You are important. to so many people out there but you never realize that. Because you are too busy criticizing yourself. Enjoy your existing relationships and strengthen bonds with them.

9. Filter your news feed and the people you follow

Remove those negative vibes from your online world. And beware of the toxic affection that you are often showered with, which is not real.

10. Find happiness when you are in solitude

Solitude is a positive term while loneliness is a negative one. Apart from this, the main differences between both these terms lie in the choices we make. The choice of feeling alone and sad without any friends or company, or the choice of being alone and happy, despite the presence of our friends and company.

When you get to know the practice of converting your loneliness into solitude, you will find this condition blissful rather than awful.

It’s in solitude that all the knowledge and information we gain in the course of our days, reveals itself to us as insights and wisdom. It’s in solitude that we learn how to be with ourselves and others, without expectations and demands. 

BOTTOM LINE

It is rightly said that Social media is not the problem, but we are. Technology is a part of our lives, and our dependence on it will always grow. But how we engage with it and how much or what contents are we consuming solely is our problem. When we can use it to our benefits by implementing required boundaries, there is no way we can be affected by its use.