Today, people are experiencing more loneliness than ever. As technology continues to expand our abilities to “connect” with one another, the more disconnected we become. How ironic that the means of building social connections actually creates more anxiety and distance when in person.

More and more people are feeling misunderstood or isolated. Loneliness is not simply, not having others around. After all, you can know many people and have an extensive number of connections and still feel quite disconnected from every one of them. It is more about the quality of our interactions with one another and that is based on how authentic we feel we can be with one another.

The problem is that people are uncertain how to develop and maintain true connections that allow them to be their authentic selves, connections that do not judge for tarrying away from what everyone else is doing (or portraying) on social media. It seems the only way to go is to conform to society, rather than clenching to one’s own ideas and ways of thinking because the disappoint of others thinking you are odd, strange or what you are interested in is just “not it,” is unbearable. So, you also find yourself conforming, or at least silencing your true self.

The more you silence yourself, the lonelier you feel on the inside, the more it begins to feel like there is no relief. There is a constant battle between your inner world and the physical world we live in. So, what do you do?

*Be authentically you. See how those who are meant to be in your circle flock toward you and those who do not truly serve a purpose in your life will fall away.
*Intentionally engage with others, face-to-face. Step away from your devices and actually get to know others and not what they portray on social media.
*Be ok with some “awkward” silence at times. It is still a way to connect with others, nonverbally. Energy is transferrable and therefore is a means of communicating and connecting.
*Be ready to experience a sense of inner peace that will have others responding differently to you because you are being your genuine self.
*Engage in activities that bring you peace and serenity or that allow you to feel some sort of connection to yourself. Think outside the box and do things that you have yet to try.
*Pick up your old habits in a community setting where you are able to engage with others who share the same interest.
*Check in with yourself to assess how you are actually feeling. Oftentimes people do nor realize they are feeling lonely, rather they experience isolation, lack of motivation and/or irritability.