General Information
Enter any Nursing Home in the US and you will see the results of physical loneliness. Residents will be sitting in wheelchairs staring out the window, backed against a wall with head bent over, or wandering the hallways as if they have lost their last friend. These people are lonely. They may be depressed and withdrawn. Many are widows or widowers whose children have busy lives to live. These folks are lonely. They are seldom touched except by healthcare professionals. There are few hands to hold or arms to embrace them. They are not simply alone, they are lonely.
Have you ever been so physically lonely that you wander around your house? Have you every yearned for someone to just hold your hand or hold you in a friendly embrace? Have you ever sat and stared out at the world not feeling part of it any longer and aching for someone to pull up a chair and just sit close by for a while? If so, you have experienced physical loneliness.
By contrast, such moments can be transformed into life-giving solitude. Solitude develops when we get InTouch with ourselves. InTouch means becoming present to our physical selves. Being InTouch may include physically touching yourself, but it can also include engaging the world by yourself. InTouch simply means using your body to affirm and celebrate who you are. It allows our loneliness to fade as we begin to enjoy ourselves in our aloneness. In other words, solitude.
I encourage you to look at the Tips below and find a way to be InTouch once again. Touch is our first language and reminds us that we are living, breathing human beings. Good Touch lowers the stress hormone cortisol and stimulates oxytocin, the pleasure hormone. Touching the world in a meaningful way promotes a sense of well-being and self-worth. Being InTouch with ourselves in times of aloneness allows us to relax into our being and celebrate the gift of life.
Transform your loneliness into solitude by becoming InTouch with your physical body.
Have you ever been so physically lonely that you wander around your house? Have you every yearned for someone to just hold your hand or hold you in a friendly embrace? Have you ever sat and stared out at the world not feeling part of it any longer and aching for someone to pull up a chair and just sit close by for a while? If so, you have experienced physical loneliness.
By contrast, such moments can be transformed into life-giving solitude. Solitude develops when we get InTouch with ourselves. InTouch means becoming present to our physical selves. Being InTouch may include physically touching yourself, but it can also include engaging the world by yourself. InTouch simply means using your body to affirm and celebrate who you are. It allows our loneliness to fade as we begin to enjoy ourselves in our aloneness. In other words, solitude.
I encourage you to look at the Tips below and find a way to be InTouch once again. Touch is our first language and reminds us that we are living, breathing human beings. Good Touch lowers the stress hormone cortisol and stimulates oxytocin, the pleasure hormone. Touching the world in a meaningful way promotes a sense of well-being and self-worth. Being InTouch with ourselves in times of aloneness allows us to relax into our being and celebrate the gift of life.
Transform your loneliness into solitude by becoming InTouch with your physical body.
TIPS
Here are a few ideas that can help you discover ways to transform you loneliness into solitude by becoming more InTouch with your body.
Discover yourself during your solitude and befriend the body that is your closest ally in life.
- Find a hobby or activity that you enjoy for your alone time
- Take a walk or enjoy some quiet time outside
- Take a nap
- People watch
- Take a long bath
- Progressive Relaxation Exercise -- Progressive Relaxation Script
- Light Workout
Discover yourself during your solitude and befriend the body that is your closest ally in life.
RSS Feed