Doubt Strikes the Lonely

[Doubt - II]

Loneliness is not a crowd issue. 5 or 5,000 people don’t determine if one is lonely. The numbers are an objective measurement. They measure different degrees of isolation. But loneliness is a subjective experience of connection, and it can happen despite a crowd.

Intimate connection occurs in a very small, closely acquainted group.
Relational connection happens in a slightly larger, trustworthy group.
Public connection happens in a like-minded crowd.

All three connections contribute to a sense of community, a sense of belonging.

Stripped of any of those connections, and we risk loneliness.
Community breaks down.
Validation wanes.
Doubt sets in.

Don’t look inside the doubt for clues. It’s often too dark to see.
Look around it to find which connections are missing.