Being Alone vs Being Lonely

Photo credit: Google

They're two incredibly different things. I have experience in both, I would almost call myself an expert. There's something peaceful about being alone. Having that moment of silence and solitude to yourself, a period of isolation is healthy even if it's not for long. For instance, being in the shower. Most people tend to shower alone, but it's a great time to be left alone with your thoughts and clear your mind, forgetting about everything else, good or bad. On the other hand, being left alone with your thoughts is a last wish when loneliness is involved. Seclusion and a lack of interruption is almost painful and it's most certainly unwanted.
Confident plays a large part, in many cases, loneliness is down to feeling uninvolved, a feeling of abandonment begins to take over which can lead to self-pity - the wrong way to go. As a shy person, walking into a room makes me nervous. But it's realising that there's at least 2 other people that feel exactly the same way I do. Focusing on your own emotions is the wrong thing to do. Singling yourself out, and nitpicking is pushing yourself into a lonely mindset. It's very much like self-fulfilling prophecy.
I don't have a enormous group of friends, but there are days where I would rather sit and curl up with Netflix that head out to the nearest house party. Having fun is important, but then again, so it Netflix. An undisturbed evening with Evening Acoustic playing while scanning the best winter reads in necessary every so often. It gives us a chance to de-clutter, and just relax.
I think on occasion, people may confuse being alone with being lonely. Sitting alone in a coffee shop doesn't mean your lonely any more than being surrounded by friends.