Work on connecting in meaningful ways with other people and connecting with the lonely part inside of you.

• The outside world. If you like sports, join a local sports team. If you like writing, join a writing group.
• Internal work. Get curious about the meaning of lone...

• If you find it challenging to move beyond small-talk, you can ask a more personal question like, "What's one thing that I don't know about you?" or "If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?"
• Use info from social media as a conversation starte...

Friends are not found - they are made over time. Making friends is an incremental process; It takes between 6 - 8 conversations before someone considers us a friend.

Proximity and repetition are key. Put yourself in situations where you will see the same faces again and again.

Many people desire any company because they don't like the discomfort when they are alone.

Learn to enjoy your own company. Start by reading, watching TED Talks that will make you think, or start a gratitude journal.

The elderly are lonely. Teens are lonely. People in cities and rural areas are lonely to such an extent that it is considered a public health issue.

One report found that nearly half of respondents said they sometimes or always felt alone. But there are steps you can take when you're f...

Talk to people you encounter throughout your day. When you enter a coffee shop, make a simple comment about the weather to make impersonal interactions a bit more friendly.

If you practice this small talk in a variety of situations, it's easier to start a conversation with people you wa...