from someone at the dinner table.
So if youre feeling especially lonely right now, here are a few ways to cope.
Know that theres no shame in wishing you were in a relationship.
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Theres nothing weird about longing for someone to spend time with.
You might feel like you have to grit your teeth and be sunny about choosing yourself!
But what about those moments when you simply…dont love it?
Instead, aim to listen to your desires and think about where theyre coming from.
Is your desire to be in a relationship coming from more generally wanting affirmation or companionship?
Or is it that you feel pressure to align with what feels expected of you?
If thats the case, take a beat, and remember that everyone is on their own timeline.
Recognize when your familys values dont align with your own.
All of these are accomplishments worthy of dinner-table conversation.
Families put pressure on us for many reasons, but most are fear-based, Dr. Creson says.
Fear for us, or fear for themselves.
But we dont need to take on our familys fears and internalize them.
Shame shuts us down and keeps us stuck.
Contrary to popular belief, tough love doesnt usually help motivate people.
And that also applies to the kind of love you extend to yourself.
Actively reach out to friends for support.
When you do reach out to check inwhich you should!Dr.
Creson says that its best to do so without expectation.
They might just be going through their own stuffask another friend.
Reach out when you better; your friends will do the same when they need you.
Resist isolating activities.
Loneliness can cause some of the deepest feelings of attachment-based grief we will ever experience, Dr. Creson says.
The ones that isolate us are the ones that wont help.
As Dr. Creson says, isolating activities can be sneaky, and they differ depending on who you are.
(And if you fall into the former?
Go ahead, have some fun!)
(Theres still time!)
Dont run away from grief.
While we typically associate grief with death, it can arise from any sense of loss.
And, as Dr. Creson says, relationship-based loneliness is one common cause of deep grief.
We might feel surprising waves of sadness or anger, and its perfectly normal.
Theres also a lot of power in creating new traditions.
How would you enjoy the coming holidays if there was no precedent for celebrating them?
Whatever the case may be, theres a lot of joy in crafting your own version of the season.
And your version can include any style of relationship (or not) that you like.
