I isolated myself from all human contact for 3 years. In March, I accidentally made a friend online (oops!). He's been consistent in my life, cares, is hilarious, intelligent, &amp; we have a lot in common. He's probably my biggest source of moral support right now outside of my parents &amp; therapist. I said all that to say this friendship has lead to me having the confidence &amp; fortitude to reconnect with old friends and be open to making new ones (I've been in individual &amp; group DBT therapy for 11 months now &amp; if the expression is true that "opportunity is when preparation meets luck," this has proven to be a prime example of it). I thought, "moral support? Laughter? Accountability? Encouragement? Yes! I remember this used to be called 'friendship' and I used to be one &amp; have some. I miss this! I need this! This is good!" and now I'm making daily efforts to cultivate strong, meaningful bonds with old &amp; new friends as part of my mental health regime
 

And maybe after 11 more months of therapy, I'll be ready to date again!

This mental wellness journey is not linear, and not a sprint. It's a marathon with many retrograde moments. But baby steps are still steps. Self-compassion &amp; mindfulness in the meantime is EVERYTHING! And it's always the meantime. My inbox is open if anyone needs to talk❤️❤️