Loving life

Solitude Versus Loneliness

What if I told there was a distinction between the two states which is essential to optimum health. Would you become more deliberate?

For sure, there are things in life we have zero control over. In the counseling world, we encourage people to realize we choose our emotional response. We are not our emotions. The difference between victim and survivor is probably what you’ve considered before. One is a weight that takes you down. The other is a life vest, or a balloon, that takes you up. Being alone isn’t necessarily a state of loneliness. You can be lonely even when you’re with people. If while alone you were to practice ‘solitude’ correctly, which means engaging in activities that activate the parasympathetic nervous system, you may find you have more energy to be social. Care to explore the distinction further?

“Humans are outsourcing the regulation of their emotions to other people,” quoted Dr. K in the video discussing this topic below. We are letting others determine our mood and relevance, directly and indirectly. Hook up cultures connect with people to ‘get’ something. Part of the getting is obvious, but there is a second getting that comes when the superficiality no longer satisfies and conflict arises. Indirectly affected by…