8 Ways to Beat Loneliness ...

One of the first ways to beat loneliness is to get off the sofa and do something that gets you around people. New friends won’t automatically appear if you remain in solitude. So although you might feel a bit depressed and want to sleep all the time to escape your loneliness, you have to get motivated and out of the house. There are great people just waiting to meet you so get out there.

Think of something that you have always wanted to learn like yoga, painting, salsa dancing or Italian cooking. Sign up for a class or two so you can meet other people that share the same interest as you. You will make new friends and improve yourself at the same time. Once you complete this class, go on to something new so you are continually growing as a person.

If you are newly single or ready to enter the dating world again, you might be wondering where the heck to meet other people. To start, go to places that relate to your interests. For example, if you love books, go to the library and ask about reading clubs or library social events. Or if you love dancing, head out to a place that offers lessons or go to a social dancing event.

In all probability, the person you want to meet at a social event is just as nervous as you are and waiting for someone to break the ice. If you are normally shy, step out of your comfort zone and make the first move. An effective way to break the ice is complimenting him on something he is wearing, like a cool shirt. Once you start talking, avoid yes or no questions because those are instant conversation killers. Use open-ended questions instead so the other person has the opportunity to contribute to the conversation with more than one word answers.

No matter where you are, check out other people. Observe their physical appearance, the things they are carrying and the things they are eating or drinking because you may have something in common with them. Make eye contact with someone that you would like to meet and smile. Then walk up to him and strike up a conversation.

Challenge yourself to talk to random people that you encounter throughout the day for a few minutes. It might be the checkout clerk at the grocery store, the gas station attendant, a guy at your gym or someone in line at the bank. If you are shy it's going to be a bit uncomfortable at first, but I promise it will get easier as you continue to do it. You might meet someone that could turn into a friend or a romantic prospect. You just never know!

As we get older, many of us drift apart from our families because life seems to get in the way. But if you are feeling lonely, reach out to the ones that you grew up with. Give them a call and invite them to hang out. If you are single and want to meet someone, ask them to introduce you to their single friends.

It might take time to build a social circle that you enjoy hanging out with. As you try these suggestions, remember that not everyone you talk to is going to click with you and that’s okay. Don’t get discouraged. Continue to put yourself out there in different social situations until you find some awesome new friends.

As you can see, it takes a bit of effort to overcome lonely feelings but it’s so worth it at the end. Do you have other ways that helped you make new friends?