Loneliness I think is such a taboo subject, even more so if you have a family, friends or a partner. How can you feel lonely when surrounded by so many people?. Feeling lonely in a room full of people is extremely common but something we just dont speak about.Ask anyone to picture a lonely person and most will imagine an older person living on their own. As such, we often rebuke and dismiss feelings of loneliness because ‘that doesn’t apply to me’.
By identifying and acknowledging all the times that we have personally felt and experienced loneliness, we can start to change our viewpoint, accept it and understand how to take action to manage the feeling (and our social connections) in the future.
I can hold my hand up and say I am a mother of 3 with a 'busy life' and have never felt as lonely as I do now.
This week The Marmalade Trust are bringing you Loneliness Awareness Week 2024 and I am proud to be supporting them again for another year.
The Marmalade Trust is a charity whose whole mission is to raise awareness of loneliness and this week we are pulling out all the stops to encourage everyone to increase those simple, everyday moments of connection which help us feel happier and less lonely.
Their theme this year is Random Acts Of Connection and you would be surprised how easy these are to do and how different they can make you feel.
Here are a few things I have done this week - My Random Acts Of Connection
- Had a catch up with the Starbucks barista , yes i am in there a lot and we are on first name speaking terms :)
- Gossiped with the post lady on the doorstep about this year's love island - is anyone else watching it?
- Put 'the world to right' with the elderly lady who served me in Argos
- Went into Lush to stock up on some supplies, had the most heart warming conversation with the lady in there, who is actually leaving and ended up applying for a job!
What will your random act of connection be this week ? I would love to hear them.
For more information on LAW and to get involved then click below
As a busy mom of three, it really resonates with me how loneliness can sneak into our lives even when surrounded by loved ones. Your suggestions for random acts of connection are heartwarming and inspiring—I'll definitely be looking into ways to make those simple, meaningful connections this week.
ReplyDeleteI've been there and felt so awkward! You're right, it can be much easier to talk to strangers and establish some sort of connection.
ReplyDeleteI love that this is a thing solely because it brings awareness to something really important! I think most of us have all felt that way at some point. It's a bad feeling but there really are so many things you can do to help it! Love that you shared this!
ReplyDeleteYour article on feeling lonely in a crowd is so true. Thanks for sharing your insights and tips on coping with these feelings. In fact, even sharing thoughts on like minded social media groups may help.
ReplyDeleteIt is so good to raise awareness for feeling lonely. It's such a mental thing that can be helped so much.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of random acts of kindness, there is always something we can do to make a difference.
ReplyDeleteReally important to raise awareness of this - I can really relate being an expat and finding it hard to make friendships as an adult and having limited family over here and no long term friendships due to moving from South Africa to the UK over a decade ago! But I do have a small group of friends that I really value but it's hard finding time when you have young children! Also love the small things you did this week to help create connections
ReplyDeleteLaura Side Street x