Managing Isolation or Loneliness
by Lila Sklar, ICF-certified Career, Relationship, and Wellness Coach
We’ve all struggled with feelings of isolation and loneliness at some point in our lives. That said, this is a moment in particular where those feelings may be coming up a bit more as many of us are working from home, staying away from larger crowded places, and traveling less in order to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Here are a few tools and ideas for coping with those feelings of aloneness that I like to share with my clients:
Video Chat or phone calls with friends and family
When was the last time you called a friend just to talk? We all get caught up in our daily lives and tend to use the phone these days just for business. Catching up with friends and family helps us remember our support network. Being able to express feelings or laugh about things with people you feel close to is an important mental health tool.
The Walk and Talk
Speaking of the phone - remember the good old fashioned phone call? One of my favorite ways to connect is the walk and talk! I like to find a nice place near trees or water or even a city walk, connect my earbuds and call an old friend. That way I get a little outside time, some exercise, and a connection with a friend. Triple bonus!
Neighborhood stroll
While we are on the subject of walking - avoiding big crowds of people when possible is probably a good idea right now but there is nothing wrong with taking a stroll around your block and stopping to talk with your neighbors. Chances are they are spending more time at home now too (you might even meet some neighbors you haven’t seen before) and connecting with your neighbors helps to re enforce the sense of community for everyone involved. It can be very comforting to feel like you have familiar people nearby.
Try a Connecting Meditation
There are some great ones on the Modern Health Dashboard! Connecting To Others, One Of Many, and Loving Kindness (all available on the MH dash) are guided meditations that use mindfulness to work through feelings of isolation or loneliness.
Connect with pets and plants
It might sound silly at first, but there is a lot of joy to be found in connecting with the plant and animal world. Make some time to play with your cat. Take the dog to the dog park. Do some gardening or some houseplant care. Repot that orchid you got a while back. Connecting doesn’t have to just be with people!
Take time for self care
Last but not least; having more time alone can be an opportunity to focus on yourself a little more. Take some time to make your space feel nice by cleaning or redecorating. Take a bath. Do some journaling. Read a book. Do some cooking or creating of some kind. Sometimes a feeling of aloneness can actually end up being a doorway to self exploration and an opportunity for growth!
