Social isolation can be an opportunity to explore various ways to spend time and connect with oneself and your housemates during social isolation. The article is divided into two parts, and it was originally aimed at the unique situation of the epidemic, but as stated in the first part, social isolation is an everyday reality for many people. If you haven’t read the first part, you can do so here: Understanding the Reasons for Social Isolation: Insights and Reflections. This second part applies to anyone who finds themselves alone individually or as a family.
Spend time with you
There is a big difference between being alone and spending time with yourself. Being alone is passive, and can be lonely and boring. Spending time with yourself is active and can be very rewarding. Make yourself feel good and welcome just as you would a good friend. Have a cup of tea, a special dessert, a good meal, or a nice walk in nature.
Be with yourself each moment intentionally. It is important to have a good time, have it with yourself. Do not see alone time as a means to an end. Life is lived moment by moment, a moment alone is just as precious, as a moment with a dear friend.
Also, use that time alone to see what it is like to be with you. If you do not like to be with yourself, why do you think others would? If you are not happy with yourself, alone time is there to fix it. A good book for that is The Vortex: Where the Law of Attraction Assembles All Cooperative Relationships. The most important relationship in life is the relationship between you and You.
Have a hobby
Being socially isolated and having nothing to do is really boring. Use that time to develop a hobby. Many hobbies can be done together; however, in this article, we look into hobbies that make you feel alone. I find that a hobby alone has to be meaningful for you.
One of my hobbies is gardening. I grow a lot of flowers and yummy fruit to enjoy. Our garden is not a boring single-row garden to get it done. It is a place to spend time and enjoy it.
Painting, writing, sewing, all kinds of needlework, woodwork, beekeeping, gardening, music, photography, etc., to name just a few, can all be great hobbies to practice alone.
Make your home the best place to be
People who are always on the go often spend very little time at home. Also, people who socialize often create homes suitable for social events.
A home just for you is different. It is your place to be. Furnish and decorate it for you. There might not be a need for the big couch, to seat all your (non-existing) friends. Make it cozy for yourself.
Create different areas to enjoy and to look forward to spending time in. A hammock, sunroom, reading hatch, spa bathtub, or sauna are all great places to have in a home or garden.
I love going to the growing room at the back of our old garage to enjoy a cup of tea or meditate in the hammock. It’s like visiting a good friend. If it happens that I can visit with a friend there, it’s great, but I also enjoy it by myself.
Connect with your housemates
Many of us do not live alone. It can be a partner, children, family, extended family, or just someone with whom we share the house with. Life can be so busy that those we are closest with, get the least attention.
Close relationships might not be possible in a neurodivergent situation. Partners and family members often live together more like housemates. This summer, hubby and I had two weeks to ourselves in quarantine. Since we are empty-nesters and do not have much social life, we usually spend a lot of time together. However, two weeks of not leaving the property was a whole other level. Since we could not leave each other, we had to be with each other. It was a great experience.
Most of us have been guilty of dressing, behaving, cleaning, preparing meals, etc., just a bit better if a company is coming over or it’s just our housemates. Why?
We often find it more appealing to spend time with friends than with those so close to us because with people outside the house, there is a bit of mystery left, or we could call it masking. We only know each other’s good sides; we can choose what we expose or reveal ourselves. At home, we often let go of those masks and become more authentic, but on the flip side, we are also more vulnerable.
Social isolation from outside people can be a great time to concentrate on our own people, the ones we live with, to become more true and to give more grace. The balance between grace and truth or love and light makes home the best place to be.
While you are practicing, have a house party, dinner, game, movie, night around a fire, breakfast in bed, book club, spa, and more. The ideas can be endless. Whatever you love doing with friends, do it with your housemates. Positive actions lead to positive emotions and positive relationships.
Have a pet
Pets are great companions. I think no home should be without one. But especially if you are alone a lot, a pet can be a true blessing. Animals have great personalities and are also social beings. Now is a good time to see them this way if you have never seen them before. I often call our cat a garden cat, since she loves spending time in the garden so much. She is not overly social, and that is fine with me. She has the same personality as me.
Read and study
There is the assumption that people who are socially isolated age sooner and become demented. I think it has nothing to do with socializing but brain function. Our brain needs to be stimulated. Reading, and learning new things help.
I especially like audiobooks, and Audible makes it possible to listen to as many as I want for a very good price. Social isolation can be very quiet. Listening to a book, course, lecture, etc, gives me the opportunity to learn and listen all at the same time.
Use social media
Social media is great for connecting to people far and wide. Many people share the same hobby or lifestyle as me that I follow on social media. I often call them my friends. I have Russian, German, and English friends. They talk to “me” and make me smile. However, most don’t even know I call them friends. Just because I have so much time on hand, does not mean that I need to keep them busy.
Use social media, but don’t go overboard with it. Do not impose your neediness or loneliness on it. Deal with those things yourself. Be grateful for people who spend their time entertaining, educating, or encouraging you.
Start your own blog or vlog. Spending time alone allows us to think, learn, and experience things others may have no time for. Sharing it with others keeps us socially engaged.
What helps you to thrive in social isolation? Please share with us in a comment below.
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