What they don't tell you about graduating college (and high school too), is how lonely it'll feel as you try to make your way through adulthood.
Nothing is literally LONELIER than moving back home with your parents after just spending four of the best years of your life so far, on your own with access to your friends 24/7. And once reality hits you that your life is far from your old routine of eat, sleep, party and repeat, it gets much harder to find your way back to happy.
Happiness is dictated by what you deem to be the best parts of your day and your life. And what I've learned thus far in my 23 and a half years, is that you have to focus on what those things are like your life depends on it.
Because yes, your life literally does depend on it.
Loneliness is a DISEASE that permeates throughout your whole body. It starts in the mind and moves to the heart, spirit, and the rest of your body. And I'm going to be honest with y'all, I can't lie and say that I don't suffer from it from time to time, but I've learned how to cope.
I learned that toxic thoughts equal a toxic life... and who wants that?!
So here are some tips to help pick yourself up every time you start to feel like you're the only person in the world and no one cares about you, but you.
- Get off social media and stay off for a while. I'm not saying delete your accounts. Just delete the app from your phone for a week and see how much better you feel. The less curated "fun" you have to consume and compare your life to, the better. I promise
- Call your friends. I promise they haven't forgotten about you. Their lives are not better without you. And they probably miss you more than they let on.
- Express yourself. If you're a writer, write. If you're an athlete, go play your favorite sport. If you sing or dance, go do that. Whatever gets your mind out the gutter, for the sake of your sanity... do it!!
- Don't sit at home alone too often! I would bet all the money I have that the number one reason you feel lonely is because you've made yourself a hermit. Just stop it. Go out and rediscover the home you left 4 years ago. Benefits of this include, good food, time well spent, and the possibility of making new friends while also reconnecting with the old ones.
I 100% understand how lonely you feel. But trust me, you aren't in this alone. If you need ANYTHING the #SSLHFam has your back at all times. Adulting is hard, but being lonely should never be your biggest issue.
