We can ask for, participate in and commit to getting the full and direct experience that is love. After all, to love someone truly is to be interested and willing to create the experience that is love for them, and thus to become truly bilingual in the language of the heart.

Could it be that it is in your greatest moments of loneliness, you are most called to be by yourself because there is something stirring within that seeks your undivided attention and perhaps has a message for you?

If we fail to wake up to who we are beyond the story of self, our system will register a "stuckness." It's a developmental arrest that shows up as dissatisfaction, endless stress, loneliness, fear, and joylessness. This is a sign that the timeless dimension of our being is awaiting realization.

Valuing yourself can start by lovingly seeing the innocent child within you -- your essence. This is your true self, and may have been covered over by the fears and false beliefs of your ego-wounded self that you created as you grew up, to try to get love and avoid pain.

Holding yourself to these five standards will help you develop within yourself and will expand your potential to grow meaningful friendships throughout your life.

Loneliness weakens the immune system, increases sensitivity to physical pain, and creates depression and fatigue. Moreover, it can generate inflammation throughout the body, leading to a range of health risks.

Not experiencing loving connection as a child can lead to feeling a deep yearning in adulthood. Unfortunately, trying to get this connection from others, rather than learning to connect with ourselves and others, can lead to many personal and relationship problems.

While loneliness and isolation do not always lead to violence, and while they are not the only causes of violence, they are often a contributing factor to it. Learning how to transform isolation, in ourselves and others, thus can help facilitate not only inner peace but also social stability.

Our feelings are always informational -- a profound source of inner guidance. I encourage you to value your feelings and listen to what they are telling you, rather than ignoring and avoiding them.