When You Feel Alone

The feeling of loneliness is a very common feeling in today's day and age. Something as little as a status on Facebook, a picture of a cute couple on Instagram, none of your friends responding to your texts, or a Promposal in the school hallway can overwhelm you with loneliness. When the feeling hits, sometimes it's hard to focus on anything else. You get a hole in your chest, can't breathe, and hurt from the inside out.

When you feel alone, it's common to want to do one of two things: wallow in your self-deprecating thoughts, or make yourself feel better. Remember: it is okay to cry and sometimes it will make you feel better. :)

When I wallow, I like to do it comfortably. I change into the fluffiest pair of socks I own and put on my favorite pair of pajamas. Then, I either wrap myself in a blanket burrito style or I turn on my bed heater and lay under the covers. I will just lay there and let my mind wander for a while. I think about everything. I remember someone I miss, imagine what-ifs, and wish I was out doing something productive. If that doesn't work, I will turn on sad music with relatable lyrics. Occasionally, I will even eat peanut butter or ice cream (I know-- very cliché) and go through sentimental old photos. It may not be healthy, but oh man it is so satisfying to devour something yummy after a crappy day!

Elevating your mood after it crashes can be difficult. It really depends on the person. What works for me is to focus on something enjoyable, like reading a good book, watching Netflix, or doing my homework (not enjoyable, but distracting nonetheless). It's amazing how well distracting yourself can be. Due to tiny miracle workers in your body called endorphins, exercising also boosts your mood. Running purges all my negative energy. The harder and faster I run, the better I feel-- as long as I remember to stretch afterwards! When I need cheering up, I also like to write. I keep a journal that I write in occasionally. It's filled with a plethora of things: from to-do lists to emotional rants. If you need to let something off your chest, than this is very therapeutic and I highly recommend it. The final and most important thing to do when you want to alleviate the loneliness is.... PUT DOWN YOUR PHONE AND GET OFF SOCIAL MEDIA!!!!!! Social media will only make you feel worse. Do yourself a favor and take a break from the negative energy.

Loneliness is like a math problem: discouraging, but solvable! Good luck, feel better, and treat yourself. You deserve it! :)

Kisses,

Isabelle :)