QUESTION: “I live alone. I’m meditating every day and doing my regular spiritual practices but I feel empty and alone. What am I doing wrong?” RESPONSE:
Loneliness is a state of mind and it can be changed. Loneliness can occur anytime in your life whether you have only a few friends or many. Having many friends can give you something to do but it doesn’t necessarily eliminate the feeling of loneliness.
It is essential to cultivate a close relationship with someone to whom you can genuinely connect. You could begin with the friends you already have and determine if there is someone with whom you feel more connected. If this is the case, start to cultivate that friendship into a deeper one.
Acts of kindness for others can also alleviate loneliness. That old saying, “To give, is also to receive.” is true. Giving of yourself is rich in rewards. Acts of kindness can be as simple as offering a helping hand to a neighbor or volunteering for a non-profit. If you volunteer, it would be helpful to do so where there is interaction with other volunteers.
“According to Robert Waldinger, director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, one thing surpasses all the rest in terms of importance: ‘The clearest message that we get from this 75-year study is this: Good relationships keep us happier and healthier. Period.’Not how much is in your 401(k). Not how many conferences you spoke at–or keynoted. Not how many blog posts you wrote or how many followers you had or how many tech companies you worked for or how much power you wielded there or how much you vested at each. No, the biggest predictor of your happiness and fulfillment overall in life is, basically, love.”
Love is not limited to human relationships. Pets can fill a deep need for loving companionship. Take a trip to the Humane Society and find a pet that is lonely too. Loving and caring for another fulfills a deep-seated need we humans have.
Steps For Relieving Loneliness
The first step is setting your intention to be happy, even joyous. You can use your spiritual practice of meditation to assist you in this process significantly. Your intention is a crucial factor in removing loneliness in your life.
The second step is to add another daily meditation period specifically for attracting happiness into your life. During your happiness meditation, open yourself up to receiving guidance and a plan for what you can do with your life that would eliminate your feelings of loneliness. In your happiness meditation, it is essential that you remain open to suggestions you receive from your Higher-Self.
The third step is to put the suggestions or plans into action. There can be no success if you do not do your part. You must take the necessary measures to put into place the suggestions or plans that came to you during your meditations. Action is the required step for your success.
