At some point in our lives, we have all felt a sense of emptiness, perhaps a feeling of ‘not belonging’ or, quite simply, of being abandoned. Is it really a bad thing, a feeling of alienation? Or is it, at times, a common and normal state of mind for us as human beings? Should we avoid loneliness? Is it always a bad omen, a negative state of mind?
I’m no expert, but I’m a human being, just like you, so I’ve experienced loneliness many times. Sometimes it has felt like a kind of trauma and other times, an opportunity for enlightenment. And why? Because you need your own mental space, your own way of thinking, independent of external stimuli, although you must be a little careful with that, because we all live within a social construct —that is, in a society— and we need to adapt in order to survive, both physically and mentally.
Human beings are social creatures; that is a universal truth, isn’t it? But sometimes we need our own ‘mental constructs’ or unique experiences, regardless of the pressure from the prevailing way of thinking. So, in my opinion, it is quite necessary to find a balance if we do not want to become a replica of everyone else, the perfect image of a model citizen. We have evolved — not always in the right direction — questioning whether the ‘mainstream’ promoted by our societies, our politically correct way of thinking, the idiosyncrasies of our era, is always right.
So don't be afraid of feeling alone sometimes — it could be an opportunity to grow, to imagine, to think outside the box. But don't forget that we are fundamentally social creatures who need others to truly thrive. Solitude, when chosen, can be liberating; but loneliness that is not chosen can become a psychological hell.
Related vocabulary with exampls sentences
Loneliness (noun)
Synonyms: solitude, isolation, seclusion
Spanish: soledad
"Loneliness can be either a burden or a gift, depending on whether it is chosen."
Emptiness (noun)
Synonyms: void, hollowness, blankness
Spanish: vacío
"After the breakup, she was overwhelmed by a deep sense of emptiness."
Alienation (noun)
Synonyms: estrangement, detachment, disconnection
Spanish: alienación / extrañamiento
"Living in a big city can paradoxically intensify feelings of alienation."
Enlightenment (noun)
Synonyms: insight, awakening, revelation
Spanish: iluminación / esclarecimiento
"Periods of quiet solitude often lead to moments of personal enlightenment."
Prevailing (adjective)
Synonyms: dominant, widespread, current
Spanish: predominante
"She struggled to fit into the prevailing culture of her workplace."
Mainstream (noun/adjective)
Synonyms: conventional, dominant, orthodox
Spanish: corriente principal / mayoritario
"His ideas were too radical to be accepted by mainstream society."
Thrive (verb)
Synonyms: flourish, prosper, grow
Spanish: prosperar / florecer
"Human beings need meaningful connections in order to truly thrive."
Balance (noun)
Synonyms: equilibrium, harmony, stability
Spanish: equilibrio
"Finding a balance between solitude and social life is essential for mental health."
Construct (noun)
Synonyms: framework, concept, structure
Spanish: constructo / estructura
"Language itself is a social construct that shapes the way we think."
Idiosyncrasy (noun)
Synonyms: peculiarity, quirk, characteristic
Spanish: idiosincrasia
"Every culture has its own idiosyncrasies that outsiders may find difficult to understand."
