What makes you unhappy?
You might be surprised that a big part of your unhappiness comes down to one thing: loneliness.
We tend to associate the word loneliness with someone who is single or alone, but back up. You can be lonely in a crowd. You can be lonely with your spouse.
According to Wikipedia, …”Loneliness typically includes anxious feelings about a lack of connection or communication with other beings,”
This is much bigger than it seems. If being lonely is a lack of connection, then it explains a lot of our problems.
If I feel depressed, maybe I am actually lonely and I think no one understands me.
If the task before me is difficult and stresses me out, maybe I believe I am alone and no one can help me.
Victims of domestic violence often don’t find help or hope because they feel cut off from the outside world.
We think “I’d be happier if I had more money or a different job. ” We spend too much money on things we don’t need. We drink too much or we act impulsively, because we want to fill that emptiness.
Maybe what we really need is to belong to something larger than ourselves. We need real connections to other people and to God. Interactions that have meaning will fill the emptiness with substance, something real.
Cherish the connections you have with family and friends. Make those bonds stronger. Have real conversations instead of a text once a week. Listen to each other. Hold someone’s hand.
Take a moment and just sit. Listen to your heart. It is the beat that sounds just like the rhythm of your neighbor’s heart. Think about how much you care for the ones in your circle, and recognize the Love of God that connects us all.
There was a time, not long ago, when I was depressed. Not just sad, but really clinically, chemically unbalanced, depressed. I don’t feel like that any more. A big part of my incredible recovery has to do with the Love I feel inside me every day. There is a power higher than myself. I know I am not alone.
The next time you feel lonely, just remember: There are people who Love you. God Loves you. You are Loved. You are never alone.
Have a beautiful, blessed day.
I Love you all!
