Being Alone and Being Happy Too

Being Alone

I love being alone. I never found a companion that was so companionable as my solitude. ~ Henry David Thoreau (Tweet this)

I read these lines brutally shocked by ecstasy and peace on my Facebook page written by my friend Liz. I envied her and felt a shrieking agony inside my heart and soul. Here I am fighting with my loneliness and she is enjoying being alone. What a confusing state of two opposite emotions? One mark of grief and the other a sign of delight.

And on top of that, two rather confusing English words, lone… alone. All making my struggle more intricate.  As if fighting with my loneliness was not enough, now I need to struggle with two simple sounding words, so complex in their meaning, both filled with strong emotions.

Sometimes life is too hard to be alone, and sometimes life is too good to be alone. ~ Elizabeth Gilbert (Tweet this)

“Alone” is about being on your own or in other words having no one else around you. Whereas “lone” means having no companions, solitary or single.

When I look at them from their literal points-of-view, I find them to be similar words however when I feel them… then, as if by magic, they become extreme opposites with very hard emotions attached. Alone is ecstasy, admiration and self-healing, where lone is abandoned, isolated. Painful.

Being alone makes me feel blissful. Lone makes me feel sadness and self- pity.

We can be “alone” because we want to be, whereas we are “lone” when nobody wants us. We can be happy while having no one around us (all alone in our house) while contrarily we can be lonely even when surrounded by a lot of people. Many people are scared of being alone as it takes them down into deep depression. They feel that having people around them is the only cure even though deep down they are still immersed in sorrow and anguish.

For a rejuvenation of one’s soul and mind it is nice to be alone.  It is important to spend time with one’s own self and re-energize the soul. As my friend Liz says, after she has spent good time with her friends she needs her own time being alone to maintain her serenity and delightfulness.

Being alone by choice

As our body needs food to do all the activities, our soul needs “me” time. We are our own best friend. There can’t be any other person as loyal and truthful as we can be to our own self. And when we don’t spent sufficient time with our own selves we start feeling lonely.

People who get angry very often are asked to sit quietly for a few minutes. This allows them to reassess their own thoughts and actions. Meditation or allowing a few minutes’ silence works via the same phenomenon. It helps us to reach harmony with oneself. Reciting sacred hymns, taking time off from work, switching off your cellphone and closing your laptop helps a lot in reviving positive energies.  Exercising is another way to connect with one’s own self and to feel free from all the stress and anxiety.

And most importantly dig deep inside your mind and soul, search out the reason that is shaking your inner peace. Loneliness is a choice. It isn’t something forced upon you just because you are alone. Being alone can be a wonderful thing. If you find yourself feeling lonely, explore the reason, analyse the problem and try to solve it. As the reason is eradicated you will feel harmony, purity and bliss. You will find your loneliness turning into alone-ness.

You will also find yourself being alone… and being happy.

Avatar

About the Author

Vandana is a Personality Enhancement Trainer associated with various Corporate and Management Colleges.

Leave a Reply