1. Just Show Up
Familiarity
breeds attraction. A study published at the Journal of Personality and
Social Psychology found that same-sex strangers felt increasing affinity
towards each other, after each conversation they had. The same goes for
online chat conversations.Don’t be hesitant to talk to people, even if you feel awkward or don’t like them at first. If you’re genuinely interested or curious about others, they’re more likely to reciprocate those feelings.
2. Go On A Solo Date
You
know the problem with group and couples dates? The annoying “So what do
we do?” and “Where do we eat?” questions. When you go on a date with
yourself, you’re sure to go somewhere you actually like and you don’t
have to wait around for others to decide.3. Know The Difference Between Loneliness and Isolation
Loneliness is an emotion, mostly triggered by a sad memory.Unfortunately the brain loves to overanalyze things, so even momentary loneliness can escalate to longer spells because of thoughts like “Why do I feel so alone?” and “Am I a loser no one loves?” When this happens, just acknowledge the feeling and don’t overreact.
4. Attend Meetups
Go
to meetup.com and find a group in your city. There are tons of meetup
groups catering to every interest, job, city and hobby, so it’s
impossible not to find a group to your liking. People who join
meetup.com are eager to meet new people, and are incredibly friendly so
it’s a nice way to make new friends.5. Watch A Movie
Watch
a movie alone or call some friends to go with you—it doesn’t matter.
What’s important is you immerse yourself in an interesting story that’ll
erase your gloomy thoughts. Watch a chick-flick, or a super hero
movie—anything but a tear jerker, really —and grab lots of candy and
popcorn.6. Volunteer
Focusing
on the needs of others steers your mind away from sad thoughts. It’s
impossible to feel lonely when you’re feeding the homeless, reading to
kids at an orphanage, or dancing with grandmas at a salsa class. Helping
the less fortunate will also fill you with immense gratitude.7. Adopt A Cute Pet
A
furry cat or dog will cheer you up. The playfulness of pets, plus the
troubles (and fun) you’ll experience while training them will make you
forget about your troubles. Even a goldfish or pretty parrot can do
wonders for your mood.8. Identify The Cause Of Your Loneliness
“What to do when you feel lonely?”I can’t imagine how many people have Googled that phrase when they felt the pangs of loneliness. Unfortunately, it’s not the best question to ask. Would you ask a doctor for a prescription before they check your symptoms?
Instead of trying things randomly, hoping one solution will do the trick—losing hope and feeling worse when it doesn’t—it’s better to identify the cause of your loneliness first. If you were previously happy in your own company, what could’ve caused you to feel lonely this time?
Do your friends make you feel lonely? Is it your work or surroundings, perhaps? The cause of your loneliness will clue you in on the appropriate solution.
9. Read Fiction
Please
don’t pick a Dummies book on how to stop feeling lonely. Reading
self-help when you’re feeling miserable will make just you feel worse.
Read a good novel instead. Losing yourself in a good story or
identifying with a powerful character will boost your confidence and
fill you with a sense of adventure.10. Take A Bath
Where
do good ideas come from? In the shower, right? Taking a nice, long, and
relaxing bath is a great way to be bask in your alone time, instead of
drowning in self-pity. Ladies, prepare a glass of red, chocolates and
magazines. Gents, take a bubble bath ala Chandler by taking a manly boat
with you!11. Take A Random Bus, Train or Flight Off to Anywhere
Taking
public transportation to a random location forces you to do two
things—be in the company of strangers, and change your environment.
Doing this will ward off loneliness and cure your wanderlust as well.12. Dance (Naked)
Sometimes, we feel lonely because we’re actually alone. So take this chance to do the things you can only do
when you’re alone, like dancing naked or jumping on the bed with your
shoes on. Doing crazy stuff alone will give you a good laugh.13. Go For A Quick Run
Running
is scientifically proven to make you happier. Even 30 minutes of
walking can instantly lift your mood, according to a 2006 study
published at Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.14. Watch Friends
Okay,
it’s now obvious that I love this show! I’ve watched it 5x now and it
still makes me laugh. Watch “The One with the Unagi” and “The One With
the Embryos” if you’re feeling lonely and need a good laugh.15. Get Coffee
Go
to a coffee shop far from your apartment or office. Then order coffee
and sit on the bar, or that big table on the center where you can talk
to people. Compliment someone on their tie, shoes or bag. Start a
conversation. Don’t worry if you’re bad at small talk, because chances
are you won’t see that person again.16. Practice #JOMO
Social media is helpful, but it could be detrimental depending on how you use it. When your default behavior is to keep scrolling on Facebook instead of talking to whoever’s with you, or taking a picture of everything you eat instead of just savoring it, then it’s time to experience the joy of missing out (JOMO)—a practice promoted by Randi Zuckerberg. Yes, she’s Mark Zuckerberg’s sister.17. Make Your Bed
Making
your bed in the morning, and doing a quick two-minute wipe down in your
kitchen at night, will make you feel better and in control of your
life. Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project, says her research
for the book revealed that bed-making is one of the keystone habits of happy people.18. Look Through Old photos
Prepare
some snacks or some tea and canapés ala afternoon high-tea, if you’re
feeling fancy. Reminisce the good old days with a friend, your mom or
sis. Remembering your crazy antics, and most embarrassing moments caught
on camera will fill you with nostalgic memories and drive away
loneliness.19. Get A Camera
Get
a camera, then go out and start taking beautiful pictures of things
around you. A sunset, a barking dog, or a laughing baby—filling your
life with beautiful things can take your mind off of loneliness.20. Attend Classes For A Fun New Exercise Like Air Yoga, Pole Dancing, Or Trampoline Jumping
The
exact exercise doesn’t matter. The point is to get yourself moving,
while trying something new in the supportive environment of a group
class.21. Start A 5-Minute Gratitude Journal
It’s
hard to feel down when you know that you have a lot to be thankful for.
When you don’t know what to be thankful for, just write what you feel.
Sometimes, it can help you identify why you feel lonely in the first
place.22. Watch Inspiring Ted Talks
Ted
Talks are inspiring and informative. I don’t know why, but watching a
few Ted Talks really help when I feel lonely and helpless. Some of my
favorites are: “Connected, but alone?” by Sherry Turkle, and “Success, failure and the drive to keep creating” by Elizabeth Glibert.23. Plan A holiday
Nothing
beats loneliness and overwhelm like planning a great holiday vacation.
Looking up flights, hotel deals and stuff to do on a random faraway
location will boost your spirits and steer your mind off your negative
thoughts. You don’t really need to book a trip, sometimes the act of
planning for one is enough.24. Create Something New
Wondering
how to not feel lonely, when you actually prefer to be alone? Getting
bored is a prerequisite of feeling lonely. And what’s one of the main
causes of getting bored? Having nothing to do. So keep yourself
occupied! Try a new recipe. Create a scrapbook. Finish that DIY project
you’ve been postponing for so long.25. Do Something Craaazy
Dress up like a tourist, and do all the cheesy touristy things in your city. Eat the local 
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