Exploring the Positive Side of Loneliness – Yes, there is One!

There is a lot of truth to the old saying that necessity is the mother of invention. This is true, not just for inventions, but, for reinventions too! Sometimes what we need to get in the best shape of our lives is a wakeup call from our doctor that our current habits are killing us. Likewise, feeling lonely can be a catalyst for positive change. It’s all a matter of perspective.

To be clear, in no way am I trying to trivialize the hardships that loneliness causes. As someone who has struggled with feelings of loneliness for years, I can tell you first-hand that it is a devastating emotion.

At the same time, while we cannot choose to be lonely, we can choose how to frame our loneliness. Will we see it as a personal failure? Will we blame the world, our circumstances or our mobility? Or, will we see our temporary loneliness as an opportunity to take our own lives to the next level?

Dag Hammarskjold once said…

Pray that your loneliness may spur you into finding something to live for, great enough to die for.

There is a lot of wisdom here. What I appreciate most is the idea that we are not looking for “good enough” in life. We crave something that is “good enough to live for, great enough to die for.”

What are your passions? Maybe you already know what you want to accomplish in the coming decades. Perhaps you already have a firm image in your heart of the impact that you want to make on the world. Or, maybe you are still exploring. Regardless, don’t wait to start following your dreams.

Use your loneliness as a catalyst for change in your life. Get healthy. Pursue your passions. Expect the people in your life to meet you on equal terms. Search our people who are truly passionate about the same things that you are. When you find them, you will have more than new contacts; you will have true companions.

Do you agree that feelings of loneliness, while painful, can be a catalyst for positive change in one’s life? Why or why not? What passions do you want to pursue now that you are in your  60s? Please join the discussion below.

Watch this short video that I recorded on the topic of loneliness after 60.