How to Love Your Own Company

As per Wikipedia, Loneliness is an unpleasant emotional response to perceived isolation.

AI says that loneliness is a feeling of being alone or separated that causes discomfort or uneasiness.

What is important to notice in these definitions are the phrases used – ‘perceived isolation’ and ‘feeling of being alone’, which are not the same as ‘being physically alone.’

And hence Loneliness is a state of mind and not a physical space.

And if it’s a state of mind, can you alter it?

Yes, you can- by learning to enjoy your own company. And this can be done by doing something or nothing. 

Doing something makes sense but how to do nothing?

Because doing nothing takes our mind to the 

• career which is stagnant
• finances which need realignment
• health which needs improvement
• relationships which need nurturing

or even worse to 

• that colleague who got a bigger hike
• that friend who recently bought a house
• and that cousin who is taking a vacation in Maldives.

And all these thoughts are uncomfortable- something which we intuitively avoid. 

What’s the solution? 

The solution is to just observe our thoughts from a distance and let them pass- don’t accept or reject; just acknowledge and let them pass- breathe.

And when we can do this, our loneliness turns into solitude- a place of comfort and enjoyment.

When you start enjoying your own company, you must be in a good company.