We don’t usually speak of loneliness.
There’s a stigma to it, isn’t there? A certain shame attached. As though being lonely makes you pathetic or unwanted.
That couldn’t be farther from the truth.
We all experience loneliness and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
It is a lack of connection. Mental, physical, emotional. One of them. All of them. A fleeting moment or an uncomfortable period of time.
Sometimes we don’t even realize that we’re lonely. Loneliness is sneaky.
It leaves you feeling like there’s a small emptiness inside, but can be entirely invisible to the eye. We can get on with our day-to-day routines perfectly fine as it rides passenger.
It creeps up on you from time to time when you’re not paying attention. A reminder that something in life isn’t balanced. That there’s a connection missing somewhere in the system.
There are different kinds of loneliness.
It can stem from the absence of people around you, but this reason is rare. How often do you find yourself unable to simply find another human?
Loneliness can be from a lack of meaningful physical contact.
It can be the result of feeling that no one quite understands you in a moment where you need them to.
The irony is that sometimes you can feel the most lonely when you’re standing in a room full of people.
Loneliness can even be self-made.
Regardless of what happens in life, you always have you. We all have our own inner dialogue, but is it healthy? Is it comforting when it needs to be, instead of critical? Is it self-aware rather than reflexive?
Remember that being alone is not the same as being lonely.
Sometimes you have to step away from people so that you can hear yourself.
And don’t mistake “lonely” for “sad”. They’re not the same thing. Loneliness can be the cause of sadness…if you let it.
Or you can accept it for what it is. A passing feeling. A temporary state. A simple sign that it’s time to find a way to genuinely reconnect in whichever way you deem necessary. Be patient and realize that everyone around you feels this way at some time or another.
The funny thing about loneliness is that you’re not alone.
Courtney Diamond 
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