Being an introvert can definitely create lonely moments. Yes, we like to be alone a lot of times. In fact, that's often when we recharge and get back the energy we need to interact with others. Still, it can be a little scary to look around and realize no one else is there.
Instead of making the loneliness run even deeper by just sprawling out on the couch, we can be intentional about creating moments to help prevent it, to begin with. Bottom line, introverts get lonely too, and this is how we can fight it:
Be In The Moment When You’re Around Others
As introverts, most of us love to be in a room full of people, we just don't care to talk or interact all the time. We might look like we're bored and scrolling through social media wishing we were anywhere else but there. Yet in reality, we could be having a blast. It's all good and great until we end up in a room by ourselves and still feel like something is missing. Something that can help fight loneliness is to be in the moment when those people are around.
Even though we're introverted, we still thrive off of relationships and interaction just like everyone else. Something that has worked for me is to find someone to connect with one-on-one if you're uncomfortable addressing the whole group at a time. That will help you break the ice and slowly feel more at ease with interacting. You don't necessarily have to lead the group, but you can at least be a part of it. Then when you're by yourself, you'll more likely feel relief and peace rather than loneliness and wanting more.
Take A Break From Social Media
Because we might not express things verbally, we tend to let them simmer and fester on the inside, and scrolling on social media doesn't really help that. Looking at friends, family and even stranger's highlight reels can make us, or really anyone for that matter, focus inward and start to think that they aren't living their best life to the fullest. Coming across a snapshot of a group of people hanging out together might make you feel lonely and left out, but in reality, you might not have even desired to be there because you were perfectly fine having a quiet night at home.
Still, seeing other people do it has the power to make you feel like you're doing something wrong and you need to get out there to make friends so you can post those same kinds of photos. While it might be 100 percent true that you need to get out of your comfort zone, using social media as a foundation can be more detrimental than helpful.
Don’t Cancel Plans
I used to be really bad at this one. It happens when you're in this weird space between loneliness but not really feeling like being around anyone. Yes, that can exist. I remember being invited to someone's birthday party and as much as the idea of going sounded great, I didn't feel like it! I wanted to just stay home and chill. But because I was in high spirits when I accepted the invitation, I felt like I couldn't' cancel. And I didn't want to revert to the habit of not going places I was invited.
I ended up going and had so much fun. In the end, most of the time we're always glad we didn't cancel and decided to go through with any plans. Ultimately, that's what helps us fight those temptations to cancel. When we're lonely, it's ironically so easy to want to just be around ourselves yet want to be around others for security. We have to be careful not to let loneliness be the reason we flake out on friends who might be depending on us, or the opportunity to meet and establish new friendships.
Do Something Kind
It's crazy how being nice to someone else can get us out of our own little lonely funk. While we might be waiting for someone else to give us a pick-me-up by expressing kindness to us, it can be just as fulfilling (if not more) when we extend that kindness to someone else. I know it takes a lot to get out of our bubble and comfort zone to be intentional about showing kindness. It's not that we aren't kind, it's just figuring out a way to express it that can get murky.
Whether it's sending a thank-you card to someone or buying something you saw them admiring, acts of kindness can be a trick to getting out of loneliness. It's not to necessarily get something out of it, it just makes us get out of ourselves and our own heads.
Have A Goal For Getting Social
Setting a goal to have at least one social interaction with someone a day can make a major difference in kicking those lonely emotions. Doing things like meeting someone new or initiating a conversation with someone instead of being on the receiving end are just a couple of ways to having meaningful social interactions with others that can help keep us fulfilled.
These interactions don't always have to be with strangers, you can show your appreciation by interacting with those who are already in your life. If there's a friend who you don't talk to unless they call, make the move and call them first. If you're always getting invited but never doing the inviting, host a girl's night and invite your closest friends over. And while you're there, engage, be vulnerable and have fun!
Featured image by Getty Images.
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In a xoNecoleexclusive, the iconic actress opens up about embracing this season of her life, new projects, and overall being a “bad motherfucker.” Gabrielle reveals that she was 37 years old when she was diagnosed with perimenopause and is still going through it at 51 years old. Mayo Clinic says perimenopause “refers to the time during which your body makes the natural transition to menopause, marking the end of the reproductive years.”
“I haven't crossed over the next phase just yet, but I think part of it is when you hear any form of menopause, you automatically think of your mother or grandmother. It feels like an old-person thing, but for me, I was 37 and like not understanding what that really meant for me. And I don't think we focus so much on the word menopause without understanding that perimenopause is just the time before menopause,” she tells us.
Gabrielle Union
Photo by Brian Thomas
"But you can experience a lot of the same things during that period that people talk about, that they experienced during menopause. So you could get a hot flash, you could get the weight gain, the hair loss, depression, anxiety, like all of it, mental health challenges, all of that can come, you know, at any stage of the menopausal journey and like for me, I've been in perimenopause like 13, 14 years. When you know, most doctors are like, ‘Oh, but it's usually about ten years, and I'm like, ‘Uhh, I’m still going (laughs).’”
Conversations about perimenopause, fibroids, and all the things that are associated with women’s bodies have often been considered taboo and thus not discussed publicly. However, times are changing, and thanks to the Gabrielle’s and the Tia Mowry’s, more women are having an authentic discourse about women’s health. These open discussions lead to the creation of more safe spaces and support for one another.
“I want to be in community with folks. I don't ever want to feel like I'm on an island about anything. So, if I can help create community where we are lacking, I want to be a part of that,” she says. “So, it's like there's no harm in talking about it. You know what I mean? Like, I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change. I'm just getting better and stronger and more intelligent, more wise, more patient, more compassionate, more empathetic. All of that is very, very welcomed, and none of it should be scary.”
The Being Mary Jane star hasn’t been shy about her stance on therapy. If you don’t know, here’s a hint: she’s all for it, and she encourages others to try it as well. She likens therapy to dating by suggesting that you keep looking for the right therapist to match your needs. Two other essential keys to her growth are radical transparency and radical acceptance (though she admits she is still working on the latter).
"I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change."
Gabrielle Union and Kaavia Union-Wade
Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images
“I hope that a.) you recognize that you're not alone. Seek out help and know that it's okay to be honest about what the hell is happening in your life. That's the only way that you know you can get help, and that's also the only other way that people know that you are in need if there's something going on,” she says, “because we have all these big, very wild, high expectations of people, but if they don't know what they're actually dealing with, they're always going to be failing, and you will always be disappointed. So how about just tell the truth, be transparent, and let people know where you are. So they can be of service, they can be compassionate.”
Gabrielle’s transparency is what makes her so relatable, and has so many people root for her. Whether through her TV and film projects, her memoirs, or her social media, the actress has a knack for making you feel like she’s your homegirl. Scrolling through her Instagram, you see the special moments with her family, exciting new business ventures, and jaw-dropping fashion moments. Throughout her life and career, we’ve seen her evolve in a multitude of ways. From producing films to starting a haircare line to marriage and motherhood, her journey is a story of courage and triumph. And right now, in this season, she’s asking, “What’s next?”
“This is a season of discovery and change. In a billion ways,” says the NAACP Image Award winner. “The notion of like, ‘Oh, so and so changed. They got brand new.’ I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
"I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
She continues, “So I'm just trying to figure out what's next. You know what I mean? I'm jumping into what's next. I'm excited going into what's next and new. I'm just sort of embracing all of what life has to offer.”
Look out for Gabrielle in the upcoming indie film Riff Raff, which is a crime comedy starring her and Jennifer Coolidge, and she will also produce The Idea of You, which stars Anne Hathaway.
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Feature image by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images
Taylor founded Mastermind MGMT, an agency that represents some of Hollywood’s best “image architects” like Roach, Kellon Deryck, and Kollin Carter, who are responsible for creating unforgettable style and beauty moments for celebrities like Zendaya, Megan Thee Stallion, Taraji P. Henson, and more. Taylor and her company possess an array of functions, but her biggest role is to be her client’s advocate. We hear endless stories about how creatives aren’t paid or underpaid in the entertainment industry, but Taylor ensures that her clients get their piece of the pie. The entrepreneur opened up about her company and her non-profit, Mastermind Matters, in an exclusive interview with xoNecole.
“I always say that I'm an artist advocate first, deal closer second. So my primary focus is to just make sure that the artist is getting everything that they deserve, whether it's compensation or, you know, certain accommodations, but just making sure that they have everything that they need to be able to show up and provide the best service that they're hired for,” she explained.
“So you know, in the beginning, it was hard because I didn't have any experience, and the artists who I was working with at the time–we were learning together, meaning neither of us had assisted anyone. We didn't have mentors in our specific fields. So every deal was like a new learning experience for us from the styling side and also from the business side, and so it took, you know, doing some research, using some very creative tactics, to find out information in the industry and just starting to request accommodations that I knew other artists were granted, who maybe didn't look like my artists.”
Photo by Christopher Marrs
Ten years later, there’s still not many people who are doing what Taylor is doing. However, things have gotten easier thanks to the research and connections she made in the beginning. During Mastermind MGMT’s ten-year anniversary celebration, she announced her non-profit, Mastermind Matters, which is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that focuses on helping young entrepreneurs through a 12-week program. The program is divided into “two routes.” The first route is for aspiring creative artists who want to start a business from their talent and all the things they need to learn about business, such as taxes, life insurance, etc. The second route is for practicing creative artists who are already in the industry but need resources such as how to plan for retirement or how to sustain themselves if they can’t work for a short amount of time, i.e., the pandemic.
“I just feel that I'm able to have a business and be successful because of their art as well. And so there are things that I know, I tried to teach it to them but understanding that I can only do so much because I'm not a subject matter expert in those fields,” she said. “So I at least want to be able to provide the resources, and then if they make their grown decision not to do it, then that's on them. But you know, I could be guilt-free and taking advantage of the resources that I'm also providing to them.”
Taylor continues to be an innovator in her industry by always pushing the boundaries of creativity and thinking one step ahead of everyone else. The Chicago-bred businesswoman is moving into the tech space thanks to a new invention created with her clients in mind, and she is looking forward to bigger collaborations in the future. Follow Mastermind MGMT on Instagram @mastermind_mgmt for more information.
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Feature image by Christopher Marrs
