Lifestyle choices and loneliness?

[kaetic]

Definitely think that our choices/lifestyle contribute to loneliness.
I was raised as a Jehovah's Witness. When I chose not to affiliate with any religion anymore that caused friction with family, and any friends I had in the religion don't talk to me anymore. I am terrible at remembering birthdays and holidays are horrible.
I don't drink, I play video games and watch anime. I tried to switch to being a vegetarian. (I thought I was doing alright, til I got really sick. I will try again after I get all that figured out.) I'm trying to get back into working from home. Probably will get there by the end of the year. For all of that I get criticism from my family.
Most of my friends are through the internet. And trying to switch jobs makes my schedule very busy, and limits my budget. So I don't usually have the time or money to go hang out with friends from work at the bar, which makes me seem very antisocial. I don't like going to bars.

Sure my choices have contributed to my being alone, but all choices have consequences. As for other people trying to influence your choices, that's always going to happen. Maybe they are just as lonely and trying (very awkwardly, and rudely) to reach out and find some one who likes to do what they like to do.

All I know is that I can only be myself, regardless of the consequences.

---

This quote sums it up better than I can right now.

“Whatever we treasure for ourselves separates us from others; our possessions are our limitations.” - Rabindranath Tagore.

I think this person might have been speaking of material possessions, but I feel it works for this sort of discussion as well.

 

[HappyYogi]

I am vegan for ethical reasons and I also don't drink.

It does set us apart a bit. Not with everyone but with some.

For many people they don't want someone who will not play in the fun of eating meat or drinking because it takes away their good time.

Not all but secretly many feel this way. We feel like a kill joy.

But only you can see how much this effects your life.

Oh, for me, I actually think an old friend dumped me because of my veganism. I never chatted her up about it nor did I put it in her face nor did I want to now or in the future...but I think it made her not want to see me.

Drinking will definitely have an impact because for some people it is a major lifestyle choice. If you don't drink and party how can you bond with them? Not as easy. Again, they want people to have fun with not someone to remind them they are drinking too much.

Do you ever wonder if how you live your life and the choices you make coincide with being alone?

I'm a vegetarian (I'd be vegan, but I eat dairy). People can't accept that and ridicule me and preach to me about it. I don't have a problem with OTHER people eating meat, I just don't.
I don't drink, haven't since I was 19 and I don't really go for the bar scene with makes me "dull and boring."
I'm a health freak that eats only organic/all natural food, that goes for my kids as well, so I'm a "mean mom" because I don't let my kids eat McDonald's or Little Debbie's.

I could go on...and on and on...but those are the main ones. The fact is that my life is just that, MINE. Why should other people care how I choose to live it when nothing about what I do directly impacts them.

I don't know, maybe I'm off my rocker, but I've been wondering this for long time.