Being alone isn't being lonely | Ankit Shah | TEDxPineCrestSchool

The founder of Tea With Strangers, Ankit Shah, shares strategies of how to truly become one with oneself and why learning to be alone is necessary in order to make meaningful connections. Ankit Shah is a person that cares deeply about our collective thoughtfulness and the things that bring us together. In various lives, he's been recognized as a community builder, a storyteller, an amateur photographer, a designer and a strategist.

He founded Tea With Strangers, a global community organization of hundreds of hosts who have brought over 50,000 people together in real life for small, meaningful group conversations. He also currently works at Facebook on their Community Partnerships Team, where he represents community builders on product teams that build tools to enable them. In past lives, he built programs at Airbnb to enable and connect their host community with refugees and other people in need of free temporary housing and started a nonprofit in India to support the educational and health needs of dalit children in the rural areas outside of Varanasi.

[wandalee]

I used to think that the worst thing in life was to end up alone. It's not. The worst thing in life is to end up with people who make you feel alone. Robin Williams ❤️

[Peter-xhpg]

My therapist tells me not to say ""I'm lonely" or I'm alone." He taught me to say "I'm with myself." It does give me some comfort, as it's true...I am with myself, not alone.

[kkmaverick]

"I live in that solitude which is painful in youth, but delicious in the years of maturity".
Albert Einstein

[haitiancreolewithluciano]

*Most things I’ve achieved come from my ability to reflect, to find that sweet, profound voice in silence and solitude*

[pyschologygeek]

It is sad when someone you know becomes someone you knew.

[funface]

I love to be alone. For me my alone time is crucial because that’s what makes me complete. A time to reflect, a time to know myself, a time to cleanse my upheaval thoughts and the list goes on. As he said being a alone is a sign of maturity.

[johnmills]

My motto is " Being alone is being Free ' !!!
Pick and choose WHEN you want to be with others, and pick WHO you want to be with ! It works for me !

[DanielOliveira-csbe]

am i the only one loving his smile and face?!

[kartulmaa]

I hate reading these comments where most people say that they Love to be alone. Have you ever been completely alone for years? No job, no relationship, no events, no friends, no family calls, just you yourself every day. When you experience that, then you recognize that finding yourself and loving being alone is really really hard. When i had a job like a year ago, then i was happy and didn't had any problems at all with myself, cause being in a crowd half a day and other day being alone with yourself, then you will love it of course. But being completely alone every day sitting in home all day is completely different thing and hard do get by it.

[User-glmv]

I'm gonna show this to so many people so they finally understand what I mean. Thanks man

[xfaroutzx]

I've realised the biggest factor that causes feelings of loneliness is lack of vulnerability

[NganNguyen-vstp]

I got a feeling that I will automatically turn on acting mode when being around with people, like smiling all the time, being nice, being kind so that people feel comfortable with me. I feel guilty hurting people I love with my bad mood and am afraid of destroying relationships. But when I am with myself, there is only me and myself left, no one expects me to behave, no one is there to judge, I can express anything that's on my mind, become truthful with my emotions, and I really find my peace being alone. I love communicating with people, it helps to survive in this society but I do feel tired too. Seriously, it's harder to really enjoy life with people around than when you're with yourself, with all that understanding, acceptance and no expectations.

[SouthParkGaming]

I love being alone. I don't really have a lot of people who I consider "Friends". I know quite a lot of people, but at a very surface level. I like it that way though. I LOVE BEING ALONE!

[itouchtheskyilovetrentino]

Thank you so much for talking deeply about being alone isn't being lonely. I agree with you. I am a happy loner living on the top of the mountain. I am living in nature, in the middle of forest. I have my sustainable garden and I love having a walk in the forest and get some old firewoods for cooking. It's paradise. Lovely watching and listening to you here on the top of the mountain of Italy.

[Omni]

You can clearly see the affects of this from looking and seeing how open minded and happy he actually is

[sandraborjesson]

People come in your life and out of your life be kind to yourself and enjoy your own company.💜

[QuickbooksXero]

Its easy to stand in the crowd but its takes courage to stand alone

[Entertainm]

Some can feel lonely surrounded with bunch of people. Loneliness is a disconnection with our ownself, is about emptiness inside the heart.

[anggadextrous]

Since the quarantine started, we can't help but to feel some social jealousy and self-doubt regarding our connection with other people and we can't help but to compare our social life to others. This ted talk gives me the strength to actually accept myself and my way of maintaining relationship with people. I'm also someone who enjoy my time being alone at home and now to think of it, it really is a privilege and a talent to actually able to be alone without feeling lonely.

[ParulSharmaa]

Alone is a state of being but lonely is a feeling.. That's what I feel it is💛