The epidemic of loneliness

Loneliness doesn’t require a month of isolation or a rainy day to appear. Even on the sunniest of days there is room for those gnawing feelings of vacancy to tug at the sleeve of our souls and dim the light.

You may be on a crowded beach, bus or in a boardroom. Loneliness doesn’t discriminate by location or number of people present. Most of us know first hand the painful experience of feeling deep aloneness in a room full of people, while laying with a loved one after a fight or missing our children when they are away.

In a 2018 study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, one in five Americans said they always or often felt lonely or socially isolated. Short version? You are not alone!

The NY Times reports that “loneliness, as defined by mental health professionals, is a gap between the level of connectedness that you want and what you have. It is not the same as social isolation, which is codified in the social sciences as a measure of a person’s contacts.”

So what how to we “deal” with loneliness? In my work as a coach, I am eager to share tools that actually help my clients thrive. This one is powerful and may move you to tears. Listen as I share a favorite practice from beloved mentor Thich Nhat Hanh to support you and help you care for yourself well when you are feeling lonely.

May you feel seen, loved and connected today and always.

Watch his 2103 Dharma Talk on loneliness here