Okay so last Tuesday kinda smacked me sideways. Was supposed to be video chat day with my sister, but her internet crapped out. Suddenly the house felt massive and silent, you know? Just me and the fridge humming. Realized I’d been shrugging off that lonely feeling for weeks, telling myself “busy is good.” Needed to actually do something.
My “Stop Feeling Lonely” Trial Run (Day 1)
Started simple.
- Reached Out Instead of Waiting: Didn’t just stare at my silent phone wishing for texts. Called Mike – left a voicemail saying “Haven’t talked, miss ya.” Felt kinda dumb hanging up, but lighter.
- Faked Some Interaction: Walked to the corner coffee shop, not the drive-thru. Ordered a drip coffee and looked at the barista while saying thanks. Tiny human connection, but better than staring at my dashboard.
- Made My Space Less… Empty: Came home to the weird quiet. Tore the “mood” crap off my phone’s Spotify. Played that funky disco playlist out loud on the kitchen speaker while washing dishes. Not background music, but LOUD. Sounded ridiculous. Felt less alone.
- Volunteered (Well, Sorta): Saw old Mrs. Jenkins struggling with her recycling bins. Usually I’d pretend not to see. Nope. Walked over and dragged them to the curb for her. Her dog barked at me. Win-win. Minute of feeling useful.
- Got Some Sun & Waves: Afternoon slump hit. Walked to the park nearby. Sat on a bench. Didn’t bury my face in my phone. Just watched people walk dogs. Couple walked by smiling – I actually smiled back instinctively. Surprised myself.
- Texted Myself (Seriously): Evening was creeping in. Felt the pull to scroll endlessly. Opened notes app instead. Wrote: “U felt lonely today. U tried things. Not all worked perfectly. Still sucked sometimes. BUT U DID THEM. Pizza?” Sent it to my own number. Got the notification. Dumb? Yes. Did seeing that self-compassion text pop up help? Actually… yeah.
- Petted a Living Thing: Convinced my neighbor I’d “water her plants.” Mostly wanted a hit off her cat. Spent a solid ten minutes scratching that grumpy tabby’s head. Pure tactile comfort. Didn’t miss my sister’s stupid jokes as much.
What Actually Stuck (A Week Later)
Not pretending it’s magic. Still crappy some moments. But here’s the real deal:
- Reaching out FIRST matters. Mike actually called me back.
- Making intentional noise (music, podcasts) fills the void physically.
- The tiny interactions – saying hi to a dog walker, helping with bins – add up way faster than doom-scrolling.
- The cat visits might become a regular gig. Grumpy cats are good therapists.
It’s not about never feeling lonely. It’s about having stupidly simple tools ready when it hits. Didn’t solve world peace, but made Tuesday suck less. That’s progress.
