11 JULY 2026 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Loneliness by Tim Connor Why is loneliness a major cultural problem? It’s simple, loneliness is not a circumstance, it’s a mindset. Millions of people today suffer from loneliness. It could be someone in an unhappy marriage or someone who has lost a loved one who has passed away. It could be someone who is suddenly alone after a relationship breakup or just someone who is unhappy with their place in life. You can be surrounded by dozens of people at work or an event and still feel lonely. You can be living alone in the wilderness for months and feel peace, joy, and contentment. Why? Loneliness is not about circumstances, it’s about attitudes toward those circumstances. Loneliness can be the source of feelings of regret, fear, resentment, disappointment, or even anger. They will increase unless a person can learn the benefits of being alone. There are three stages of being alone, whether for an hour, a few weeks, or a lifetime. 1. There is loneliness. This state of mind can be filled with all of the negative emotions I mentioned above and more. People tend to focus on what is missing in their life or what used to be in the past. 2. Next, we have aloneness. This is where people are okay with being alone, but if they had a preference, they wouldn’t be. They don’t suffer from all the same negative emotions, but they do tend to feel loss of total life control. This is a more positive mental state or position to be in than loneliness, but it still can bring with it feelings of fear, frustration, or remorse. 3. The highest level is solitude. Solitude is a positive emotional state in which people look forward to this alone time and the ability to use it positively or constructively. They see this quiet time as beneficial in many ways. They will use it for introspection, self-evaluation, or meditation. They will feel blessed they have this time alone and look forward to it for personal reasons. A person who has suddenly found themselves alone permanently or for long stretches of time will find creative ways to use this time. They will take up a new hobby or interest. They will get more active in their career, community, or church. They will go back to school, read more, or just spend more time contemplating life. The thing to keep in mind is that all of these mental states have nothing to do with being alone, but how a person chooses to interpret being alone and what to do about it. Being single for many years and self-employed for most of my life, I have a great deal of alone time. So I write a lot, read a lot, think a lot about life’s situations and how I can help others with my writing and speaking. Thus this article. Sure, I love company and going out on the town and I’d rather go to a concert or hiking with someone as opposed to alone, but I’m okay doing these alone as I like my own company. If you are alone for just a few weeks or several years, regardless of why you are alone, are you living your life or just waiting for something to happen? In His service, Tim Tim Connor may be contacted via e-mail to michele@worldwidedrillingresource.com
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