Alright, alright, alright. So you conquered the key foundation to Mental Health: Mindfulness.
You are present, clear-minded, and totally living in the moment. Life is great.
However, you are by yourself. All alone. The last living thing on earth. So sad. Life blows.
If you are a true Buddha, pure loneliness will not phase you. After all, that’s what mindfulness is all about: acceptance of reality. Loneliness is just an idea anyway.
But let’s be real. Even if you are the most enlightened monk and master of mindfulness, life is not too great if you have nothing to be a part of and no one to share it with. That is why the 2nd pillar of mental health is COMMUNITY.
Friends, family, sports, hobbies, interest groups, social gatherings, coworkers, people, animals, plants: this kind of shit is extremely important for mental health. No matter what it is, us humans need to be a part of some sort of community. Even if you only have one friend, one pet hamster, or one hobby or area of interest – mental health is greatly supported by companionship, nurturing, belonging and being a part of a community. You define what that “community” is.
Why do you think some prisons have solitary confinement? Because the warden knows the inmate gets very cranky when removed from the community. Even in shitty conditions, like prison or war camps, so long as community exists, the mind is in a much better place.
If you are lacking the communal ingredient to mental health, get a pen pal, make a friend, get a pet, go to the dog park, join a club, join a cause, join a group, join a gym, don’t join a gang. Go see some live music or stand-up comedy, do something with your family members, do something with your friends, do something with or for your neighbors, volunteer. Be a part of some sort of COMMUNITY. Your mental health will be better for it. And, remember, do not spread yourself too thin. If you are a part of too much, the mental sense and authenticity of community will start to deteriorate. LESS IS MORE.