Member-only story
Finding your tribe
Navigating adult friendships
For most of my life, I have lived with my family. Later on, when I moved to another country for higher education and better opportunities, my lifestyle changed a bit, but I still had people around me whom I could rely on and have fun with. Until last year, my life had been very comfortable in this respect. I hardly ever felt lonely or bored, as I had abundant opportunities to do things with people and also be on my own. Now, things have changed, and that has brought about certain realisations that are worth sharing.
At the beginning of this year, I had to move to another city for work, and none of my family or friends reside here. I am in touch with them on a regular basis, but none of them are physically present. Initially, I thought this could be a good thing- I will be able to focus on my work, learn a new skill, start investing, get a licence, get fit, eat healthy food… the list goes on. I was trying to be that lone wolf — self-sufficient, quietly fierce, intent on turning this chapter of life into a season of inner transformation. The plan was simple: practice hyper-independence, build strength in solitude, and see who I might become without the usual noise. And for the first few days, it actually worked. I was getting things done — ticking off my to-do list like it meant something, even finding time to video call the people I love…
