There is a difference between being alone and being lonely. Local author DR MARNY LISHMAN shares some solitary activities to try this winter.
For many people, the thought of being alone is unsettling. But for others, being single or living life alone is not something that needs to be fixed. Instead, it can be a valuable chance to strengthen your self-awareness, heal from past hurts and redesign your life into one more aligned to who you truly are – without the influence of another person (at least for a while.)
The difference between loneliness and healthy solitude, is being intentional with it. And with that being said, here are 10 lovely things you can do alone.
1. Learn something new
Dabble in some strumming on a guitar, learn a new language or start cooking up a new cuisine you’ve never tried before. Learning something new gives you something to do, challenges you and helps you grow!
2. Work on your career
Dust off that CV, sign up for an online course, attend networking events or reach out to someone you admire in an industry you’d love to work in. Investing in yourself is one of the most rewarding things you can do with your time.
3. Join an art class
Splash some colour on a canvas, sculpt something wonderfully weird out of clay or construct something outlandish to display on your kitchen table. Surrounding yourself with fellow creatives is a great way to meet new people, unleash your inner artist and release stress through being playful – and it’s also scientifically proven to be good for your mental health.
4. Tend your garden
Nurturing your garden (or even a few pot plants) is something that rewards you in more ways than one. Getting your hands dirty in the soil, watching things grow, moving your body and enjoying a little fresh air all help soothe the soul.
5. Spend some time at your local café
While away your time sipping coffee, flicking through magazines and people watching in a different cafe each week. Strike up conversations with people from interesting places and wander around surrounding shops.
6. Visit an elderly person and have a chat
Elderly people are walking stories and have so many experiences that they are often happy to share. Tapping into their wisdom of their trials and tribulations of life will help you with yours.
7. Clean out one room of your house
Pick just one room, not the whole house, and give it a proper declutter. Donate what you no longer need, rearrange what’s left, and make it a space you love being in. There’s something quietly powerful about creating order in your home, and it has a way of bringing a little order to your inner world, too.
8. Look up at the stars
Head outside on a clear night and look up at the sky. Star gazing and moon watching are mindful activities, and there’s the possible bonus of a shooting star! It’s hard to feel alone when you’re genuinely marvelling at something infinite.
9. Go to a beautiful park in your town
Head to a park and spend some time sitting among the surroundings. Notice what’s changing with the season, the angle of the light, the chill in the air. Rotating parks keeps it fresh and doubles as a gentle way to explore corners of your own suburb or town you may have never visited.
10. Journal more and start writing your memoir
You don’t need to have lived an extraordinary life to have an extraordinary story. Start small, write about a memory that shaped you, a person who changed your path, or simply how you feel today. Over time, these pages become something remarkable – a record of your life (and it’s cathartic too!)
We will all likely be alone at some point in our lives and loneliness may come along with it for a little while, so it will pay in so many ways for us to learn to do it better.
Have you heard about the LISTEN project?
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the challenges of living with diabetes and would like to talk it through with a trained diabetes educator, a new Telehealth program, LISTEN, is here to help.
Several members of our health team have recently completed training and can now deliver the program.
Sessions are delivered via telehealth by trained diabetes health professionals and use problem-solving strategies to enhance healthy coping skills.
You do not need a referral to book the LISTEN program, and there is no cost!
Simply complete a short online survey to check the program is right for you, and our team will reach out to go through the next steps.
If you would like to ask any questions about the program, you can also call the Diabetes WA Helpline on 1300 001 880 or email us at LISTEN@diabeteswa.com.au
LISTEN is funded by the WA government and developed by the Australian Centre for Behavioural Research in Diabetes (ACBRD), a partnership between Deakin University and Diabetes Victoria.
Marny Lishman’s new book, Only You: The Unexpected Gift of Being Alone, explores ideas for building (or rebuilding) a rich and fulfilling life even if you don’t have ‘the one.’
