Lonely vs being alone

I tend to think that being alone is a choice and being lonely is the result of that choice. Sometimes being lonely is not a choice.. sometimes it happens when you do not chose to be alone. But loneliness is either a result of being alone... or the result of feeling alone. Haven't we all been in a room full of people and still felt lonely? 

I have discovered over the past 4 years of working with Agape Europe, that I need more alone time... but it is still true that if I have too much alone time...I get lonely. Where is that balance? 

I have been reading and studying a lot about the spiritual disciplines of rest and solitude the past year or so... and I find that when I am intentionally alone.. I don't get lonely. 

When I am intentional about rest 

and 

Intentional about cultivating the relationship I have with the Lord 

and 

Intentional about time to process the things in life... I don't get lonely. 

I wonder... how many areas of our lives we just go through instead of approaching them with intentionality. I have a dear friend who a few years ago when she was turning 29 she said... my goal this year is to live intentionally. I shall never forget that. It made an impact on me. 

So each year I look at how I can live more intentionally. The list is honestly quite overwhelming. :-) 

But of the highest priority... is to intentionally cultivate a deeper walk with the Lord. Which has all sorts of ramifications doesn't it?!