Survival Guide: Dealing With Loneliness

In this age of technology where most of us are becoming a lot more closed off from the world;where we hide behind our computer keys and social media screen names,it's very easy to become lonely.It's not uncommon to be in a room full of people or be surrounded by friends and still feel like you're alone.Loneliness is an emotion,a state of being really,that can greatly affect our lives and how we view the world.There's a reason that loneliness is often connected to depression.Some people live their lives never having felt the need to be around people.But most of us and some point or the other,crave human companionship.

Loneliness can be a tricky thing to handle because some of us might not even realize we're lonely.Sometimes it takes seeing other people with their friends or loved ones to open your eyes and show you that something is missing from your existence.And just taken a random person to hang out with doesn't always fix the problem of loneliness because sometimes it's something medical(in which case you need a doctor and/or therapist).But there are ways that we can deal with it:

1)Hang out with people
   If you're lonely, the obvious thing would be to connect with others.Maybe you're lonely because you're not comfortable with the circle you're currently in.Get in touch with that friend you lost touch of in school or try to make some new friends.Join a club or start a hobby that includes groups to help you out.

2)Talk about it
    Whether it's to a parent,a sibling or some kind of professional,as cliche as it sounds talking about things really helps.Your loneliness may stem from an implicit occurrence that happened to you, like a friend moving away or the death of someone close.If that's the case you won't be able to fix it until you get to the root of the problem and the only way to do that is to talk it out.

3)Get a pet
   For some people it's hard bonding with other human beings.Sometimes it's hard figuring out what to say and what not to say.But that doesn't mean you still don't want someone to come home to or tell your troubles to.It's nice having someone to feed off your enthusiasm or get excited when you come home from school or work even if it is just a cat or dog.Think of it as practice for working up to a real,live human being.

4)Get a hobby
   It could just be something as simple as reading a book to something more detailed like learning a language or scuba-diving.A big part of loneliness is having too much time on your hands to sit and think about the fact that you don't have anyone around.It's easier to forget your problems when you have something fun or interesting to do and occupy your time.Who knows?You might really like it and start to forget about being lonely.

So those are just a couple ways I thought up(and use on occasion) to deal with loneliness.I hope they help you as much as I want them to.There are a lot of different things you can do but these will only work if you really put effort and time into them. They don't always work right away or on their own.Sometimes you have to use a whole bunch of methods until you get over your loneliness.But you can do it.

Survival Guide: New Year's Eve and Single

So all your friends are making plans for New Year's Eve (or Old Year's for us Caribbean folk) and are excited about the countdown reaching one and that glorious moment when they get to lock lips with "bae". It's annoying. I know. Being single around this time of year can be really a bummer especially if all your friends are not and ESPECIALLY especially if you're usually the one with the significant other. Being the only one by yourself when everyone is snuggled up in pairs sucks (believe me I know) but there are ways to get through this couple night, out-shadowed only by Valentine's Day, unscathed and having fun.

*Have other single friends? Grab 'em and hang out as much as possible together. Stick in a group and have some laughs. Make fun of all the partnered up people and pretend like you all don't care all while being bitter inside. There's nothing better than being around people who understand the struggle.

*Don't mind being alone? Respectfully decline that dinner or house party. Try hitting a new spot you've never been to. It's a good way to experience something new and see some unfamiliar faces. Who knows? You might even snag your own someone by the end of the night (amiright? :D )

*If you're not up to rubbing shoulders with others why not stay at home? Curl up in front of the television or laptop and watch your favorite movie with a nice glass of something liquored and some treats. You're guaranteed to feel good cause you're already doing something you like and you avoid those awkward pity looks you get when you're the third wheel...or fifth...or seventh...

*Avoid couple hangouts. Beach limes? With all that cold sea breeze you know the "Here babe let me warm you up" scenario is going to pop up sooner or later and as they say; hugging leads to raging sex (okay maybe they don't say that). Dinners? Even worse than limes cause you're stuck at the table watching people feed each other until the meal is over and you can wave your hand saying "Cheque please!" Try an office party or even family gathering. Someone's bound to make a fool of themselves and make everyone laugh (just make sure you're not the one lying down pretending to swim in a puddle of alcohol).


So those are some helpful tips for all you people out there (like myself) who will be partnerless and lonely for New Year's Eve. No one wants to be the odd one out. Simple human nature. But remember not having a boyfriend/girlfriend isn't any reason for you to not enjoy yourself and get pumped for a brand new year to begin so sit back, relax and toast to a new year (and hopefully a new partner v_v ).

The Boardwalk is definitely one of this island's selling points

Makes you okay with living here lol Fun day today :)