6 Ways To Overcome Loneliness On Christmas Day, Can Try To Take Time To Become A Volunteer

Illustration (Nicole Michalou/Pexels)

JAKARTA - One way to deal with loneliness on Christmas Day is to go out and do something productive. Instead of spending the day at home alone, look for things to do that suit your mindset and mental condition that day.

For example, if you feel excited and the weather is good, go for a walk. If you feel happy socializing, consider attending church services so you can be in the midst of people. You can even get new acquaintances in this way if you are willing to leave.

Here are some other ideas that can help you get back cheerful on Christmas Day, launching Very Well Mind, Tuesday, December 3. Instead of focusing on the fact that you are on this vacation yourself.

It could be the loneliness you feel on Christmas Day because you've refused a lot of invited out who came in before. Know that it's okay to call back those people and say "yes." Rejecting invitations or invitations is usually done by those with social anxiety disorders. People with this problem tend to refuse at the beginning, but actually regret and feel lonely at the end.

One way to better appreciate good things in your life is by getting involved in voluntary activities. Over the holidays, being a volunteer is a way of connecting with other people, increasing self-esteem, and bringing happiness to disadvantaged people. Consider offering help serving dinner in public kitchens, bringing gifts to children's hospitals, or visiting lonely nursing home residents. You can even consider shopping for daily necessities for neighbors, relatives, or friends who can't leave the house.

If you feel nervous doing this social activity, even better, this is an opportunity to test your boundaries and develop social skills. In fact, research shows that practicing kindness can reduce the tendency to avoid social situations.

Plan "Christmas Orphans" for other people you know, who don't have friends to spend the holidays or join a group of people who are in a similar situation. If you're worried about contacting other people, consider that someone else alone on Christmas may feel isolated, lonely, and nervous about contacting you too.

If you enjoy work and have a choice to work on Christmas Day, spend that day productively. It's a smart choice if your job involves interactions with colleagues or customers. Because being in the workplace can help you not feel lonely. If you don't have the choice to work on Christmas Day, spend that day working around the house or working on a project that has been delayed for a long time.

Do you have friends online or relatives who live far away? Celebrate Christmas online by creating Skype, Zoom, Google Meet, or Facebook groups. If you want to exchange gifts, you can plan them first, then send gifts to open together when gathering online. This method can save energy, where you don't need to cook, clean, or even move off the sofa.

As an added bonus, you will have the opportunity to train social skills when welcoming new people in groups and meeting old friends. If necessary, you will also keep loved ones vulnerable to staying safe when socializing virtually.

If you can't avoid loneliness on Christmas Day, plan one day for yourself. Buy something online to pamper yourself, cook favorite foods, or plan a marathon to watch movies. Or do something unusual like learning a new language or writing stories that are always in your head.

Christmas is a day to enjoy anything that makes you happy, feels grateful, serves others, becomes productive, finds goals and meanings, socializes, or enjoys a fun day for yourself.