You can be plump in the middle of a crowd and still feel lonely.
Lonely doesn’t have to do with being around people.
It has to do with being around the right people.
How do you find the right people you ask?
When you stop turning left, of course.
No, seriously.
You find yourself in the wrong groups because you’re turning into them. If you’re not connecting with the people on your “left,” go “right.”
In other words, question the choices you’re making. Are the people around you making you feel seen, heard, and connected? Or the opposite? Likewise, do you feel like you can genuinely see, hear, and connect with those around you? Or not so much?
If the vibe is off then it’s time to honor new curiosities; learn new skills; join new clubs; try new challenges; volunteer with new organizations—it’s time to turn “right.”
And if you’re having a hard time figuring out what “right” might look like, then you need to spend more time with yourself.
Because if you aren’t connected with yourself (and your own aptitudes/interests/curiosities), how is anybody else supposed to be able to connect with you?
Step 1: Figure out who you are.
Step 2: Go where people like you go.
Step 3: Introduce yourself to those people.
Step 4: Make friends with those who introduce themselves back.