Love To Be Lonely

Humans, being inherently social beings, find fulfillment in connections with others, such as family and friends. These interactions offer a platform to express emotions, share experiences, and reap various social benefits. Loneliness, on the other hand, is the state of being alone and is characterized by a desire for contact with others. The experience of loneliness is subjective, varying among individuals; some may prefer solitude, while others thrive in constant social company. Although the feeling of loneliness is personal, being alone can unveil deeper, unaddressed issues as it suggests a discomfort of solitude that may be indicative of unresolved issues with oneself. While some may perceive loneliness in solitude as negative, it presents an opportunity for introspection. During these isolated moments, there is a chance to delve into one's thoughts and emotions, leading to a better understanding of oneself and to identify personal issues. Moreover, such introspection can serve as a catalyst for personal development. Instead of viewing loneliness negatively, it should be embraced as an opportunity for self-discovery that leads to growth. Thus, an individual can prioritise the development of character, ideas, or constructive hobbies. In essence, experiencing loneliness while alone should be reframed as a positive avenue for introspection and personal advancement rather than be considered a negative behaviour that guides the individual to avoid loneliness in pursuit of meaningless activities.

Through experiencing loneliness, our inner voice which speaks to each one of us can be amplified to allow us to understand the emotions and feelings which we are experiencing. In a world constantly bombarding us with opinions, thoughts, ideas, and propaganda, isolation is an opportunity to find ourselves. By experiencing the quietness associated with loneliness an individual is given the time to introspect. Introspection is a great opportunity to be more in touch with our feelings and thoughts to understand ourselves more. This could unveil hidden knowledge about ourselves such as how we are currently feeling in the moment and areas that we can improve in life. What a great chance for someone to face the demons and challenges that exist in their life especially if a disconnection or unease exists with their thoughts and feelings when being alone. While there is no issue with enjoying the company of others, being alone should still feel right as it signifies contentment from a sense of inner peace and self-acceptance. Thus, alone time should mean time for strength and growth rather than a cause of deep loneliness. If a person feels the opposite while being alone, it could mean this time should be used to address underlying issues such as internal conflicts that could be leading to mental health issues, bad habits, and behaviours that present themselves in an individual's life. These negative habits can include excessively drinking or consuming illegal substances or other bad behaviours that are not productive to one's life. On the contrary, a person who is in solitude would utilise this time to be a source of positivity to not only themselves but those around them. This can only be achieved by achieving a positive relationship with oneself, being self-aware, self-love, and determination for growth.

Loneliness gives a person the chance to learn about their inner personal issues, providing clarity and direction in life for growth. The benefits of solitude can exceed any companionship provided by others, especially if a person is surrounded by "bad" company. As humans, we can be easily influenced by people that we are surrounded by. For instance, a teenager or young person surrounded by the wrong influencers at school or university could find themselves being involved in the wrong behaviours such as excessively partying, drinking alcohol, or harassment due to the people that conduct in these behaviours rubbing off on them. While extreme examples, these are real-life examples that can happen to someone who does not understand themselves and is involved with the wrong company. Loneliness can provide clarity and direction in life by allowing an individual to learn more about themselves, especially when surrounded by the wrong people in life. By learning more about themselves, a person can identify their bad behaviours to create a process to improve and develop in life to be satisfied with the person that they become. For example, through introspection, a person could identify that they have been more depressed now than usual and have been drinking alcohol more than usual. By understanding themselves, these people would be able to identify this bad behaviour and look for support to help them with the issues that could be causing the depressive symptoms. This could involve therapy and doing more productive activities such as using the time alone to exercise, read, or travel alone.

No doubt, there are times when we want to spend time with friends and family, but the best feeling is the ability to be alone and have a positive relationship with ourselves that exceeds any companionship with others. As individuals, we will live with ourselves for every millisecond of our lives, and cultivating a relationship with ourselves where we can be alone and in great company is one of the greatest achievements that we can accomplish. By being good company to ourselves we can learn to develop and grow. Not only that, but we can also be a better company to others such as our friends, family and associates.