With technology taking over, we are more alone than ever. Instead of talking with people or spending time with others, we have become more reliant on ourselves. That’s not a bad thing, if we know to embrace it. Knowing how to use solitude wisely can bring about a renewed self. Without understanding how to be alone, solitude becomes a part of fear and loneliness.

Loneliness use to be something only heard of in the older generation. Instead, loneliness occurs at every age, with an increasing number of people experiencing isolation regularly. That feeling of disconnect comes from a decrease of socializing, a lack of having people to socialize with, and increase in people living alone. Perhaps you have children who keep you busy, or a full-time job that seems to add more and more work on you. Isolation can still happen. The value of our lives changes often, and that’s a good thing. Although, I still have to think about the ‘loneliness epidemic’ that people are calling a national public health crisis. Who knew that something like this would happen? When did being your own best friend become a crisis?

If we think about it, it’s really about our happiness and how satisfied we are in our lives. With that in mind, being alone and having solitude can give us an opportunity to have a more positive self. This can be seen in people who turn to meditation. They practice a mindful approach to silence and can have peace of mind. There are advantages to practicing silence, such as expressing more gratitude for what we have currently in life, silence can help us to think about the challenges and visualizing solutions, and it can bring about a chance to reminisce or reflect on past events. Even if we aren’t entirely comfortable with silence and solitude, we can learn something positive about being alone. It is a skill that takes time to learn, but can be beneficial. If we focus less on why we are alone, and more on what is next for me? We can begin the process of embracing what has become the basis for connecting us as people.