I wish I could offer specific advice on how to take care of this yourself, but I think recognizing that YOU CAN do that is a great start.
I wish I could offer specific advice on how to take care of this yourself, but I think recognizing that YOU CAN do that is a great start.
Thank you, really. If Step 1 is recognizing I'm responsible for myself, now I just need to figure out Step 2, and I guess we'll just see where that leads.
I would not presume to tell you what "Step 2" means. However, I would like to mention that there is a certain... I will call it "skill" to becoming comfortable with solitude. Perhaps that can have value all on its own. Then, once you feel competent at "Step 2," you do whatever for "Step 3." From the content of your original post, however, I would imagine "Step 3" would involve building interpersonal relationships with "authentic" people; i.e., people you meet who become your friends because they just like who you are (when you are "who you are," if you catch my meaning: in other words, not putting on a front or anything) and they enjoy spending time with you.
Alright, reading that last paragraph, I guess I /will/ presume to tell you what "Step 3" means, just not "Step 2," hahahahaha. But then, once you're done with "Step 3" you have friends who have become like family! Plus (and this is pure speculation from the tone of your post, and please forgive me if I'm jumping to conclusions), friendships can lead a lot of places: for example, I have a friendship that has recently become a business relationship, so it's hard to imagine that "romance" is somewhere that friendship for some reason can't lead.
That's my best advice, if you were even looking for advice in the first place.
Yes, I was, thank you :)