Are you alone? Lonely? Apparently, you’re not alone… because so is superstar, super entertainer Jennifer Lopez.
JLo just confessed that not only did she marry for the wrong reasons (raise your hand if you’ve ever married or been in a relationship for all the wrong reasons), she bravely revealed that she was “always surrounded by people so you’re never lonely but it’s very lonely.” Exactly. Not alone but very alone.
This begs the question…Are you alone with your devices? Can you be left alone to your own devices and not be lonely? Are we even aware that the little annoyance, buried deep in our gut is not helped by constantly checking and rechecking our Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, texts, email, whatever. In fact, that little feeling of being unsettled, of being unhappy and lonely is made worse every single time we look at a screen…or so say the experts.
So how do we solve this modern, yet not-so-modern problem?
First, as with all addictions (yes that device you’re reading this on is an addiction) let’s admit there’s a problem. It’s world-wide and it’s growing. What do you plan to do to cut back? Maybe set up a schedule of free, unplugged time? Even if it’s just a few minutes a day, you’d be surprised at how your brain function and happiness factor increase. Do it!
Do you ever turn your phone down and have a real conversation with anyone? Try it. Don’t fact check, don’t look up ANYTHING…just talk. Very old-school, and surprisingly, very fulfilling. You might even make a new friend, reconnect with an old pal, or here’s a mind-boggling thought—you might find some inner peace. Now exhale…you’ve been holding your breath right?
Or here’s another quaint, old-school idea for fighting the loneliness that’s plaguing our world… Why not sit somewhere out in public and people watch? Yes, that’s right, something grandparents used to do to while away the hours…you’ll be surprised at how great it feels to watch the world go by…if only for a moment or two. In the old days, they’d call that “recharging your batteries,” something we all need to do, but of course, without our battery powered devices.
What about that ever pervasive FOMO that’s exacerbated by the unreal and unrealistic posts we’re always seeing? Here’s a thought; change that FOMO to JOMO (Joy of missing out) and see how much better you feel. That mindset will happen in an instant, and yes, the joy that follows is unbelievably freeing.
While you’re at it, clear out those posers in your feed who do nothing to make you feel better. Yes, it involves culling the herd, but they’re not really part of your herd anyway.
Plus Auntie Jodi is your friend (really)! Follow her on Instagram @TheJodiAdler