Winter gets gross. It’s a black hole for the flu. It attracts seasonal depression. And sometimes it just feels lonely. But it doesn’t have to be.
If you’re not traveling, being alone for the holidays can get rough. I found the tricks I learned from traveling by myself helps me handle seasons where it feels especially lonely.
So here are some ways to cope with being lonely for the holidays..
1. Just leave the House. It doesn’t need to be an an expensive excursion. Walking around holiday markets, catching a play or comedy show, shopping, or going to a museum are all activities that can be done solo.
The great thing is no one notices you’re alone.
These activities is it doesn’t matter if anyone is around or if you have good company. These activities are also enriching for the soul.
A bonus: it’s easy to strike up a conversation in those venues, and so it feels less lonely, for a bit.
2. Catch up on inspirational and personal development reading. A good cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate combined with some inspiring stories and books goes a long way. It helps me escape the blues when I read about other women (or men) who have overcome some difficulties, perhaps with a sense of humor. Even some light fiction and poetry helps the apartment feel less empty when the roommates are out of town.
My favorites: “You Are a Badass” by Jen Sincero, “Things I Would Like to Do with You,” by Waylon Lewis. I also delve into poetry: Hafiz, Rumi, Warshan Shire are great authors.
3. Journal. Write anything. I write, a lot. The end of the year is perfect for closure. Write those reflections, set intentions, hopes, and dreams for the year ahead, and take time to vent.
[tweetshare tweet=”If it feels too intimate, write your heart out on a piece of paper, and burn it or rip it up and trash it — it helps with depression and gets that serotonin flowing again.” username=”myadventuresnow”]
Just write down and recap those hilarious, weird, stupid adventures throughout the year, and 2018 won’t look like it was ALL bad. Sometimes it boosts morale to simply write down all that you’re grateful for, even if they’re just little moments.
The actual mechanical movement of a pen against page works wonders.
4. Binge on Netflix shows, uninterrupted. On weekends and holidays when it’s too damn cold outside, I relish in catching up on shows I’ve missed because of the busy workweek. And with no bedtime, no school night, no work the next day, I can really get into a series and pass time by.
It can be a thriller, or something simple as the Great British Baking Show (a house favorite), the Crown, or I’ll nerd out with the Clinton Affairs.
Maybe I’ll just leave CNN on the background because some background, noise works wonders in helping with loneliness. It feels like there’s still a presence with the TV on, so the silence is less lonely.
5. Cooking and Baking. Don’t mean to be cliche on this one, but chopping up some garlic is meditative. So is hearing the sizzling pan or smelling the butter. Food awakens all the senses in the body, which helps with loneliness and it also balances out some of the serotonin in the brain. Read: add that chocolate and caramel sauce, as needed. I personally like going for extra spicy recipes (stir-fry, etc.) or very sweet (chocolate cookies, brownies) to get the taste buds going. It distracts loneliness, and who doesn’t like some good food. The quiet hum of cooking also seems to relieve some loneliness because it requires focus and also quieting the brain to simply follow recipes.
