Asklemmy

I went through a rough breakup between June and August last year. At first, I drank and slept around. Then, I got sober. I'm sort of over it by now, genuinely, but the spark is gone. I don't really want to see people, despite how badly I want to see people. I don't know what to say. I feel sort of nonplussed about everything.

I work my ass off all day, come home, work out, eat right, work my ass off all evening, then when I'm done I play bass or guitar, paint miniatures, take photos, do little bits of graphic design practice, and fall into bed around midnight.

I'm lonely. I think I'm starting to accept that this is just how it's gonna be for me, at least for now.

All that to say; it may be helpful to practice some genuine acceptance. When I'm feeling real beat up about being sad and lonely, I get my shoes on and go for a walk. No destination in mind, no matter the time of day. I put my earphones in, put on some sad music, and walk until I get sick of myself moping and just accept that yes, this is how it is. Then I'll put on a podcast I enjoy, or something I can learn from, or I'll just take the earphones out and enjoy nature as I walk back towards home.

Focus on yourself. Being lonely isn't rare these days, but being completely alone gives you complete freedom. I'm fairly new to working out, but I've stuck to a relatively consistent schedule for four months or so and my body looks and feels so much better. I'm working on my pull-up and dead hang form at the moment, and I'm finding it really tough but really rewarding. I'm on week 2 of 100 push-ups per day, and seeing my body go from barely being able to do 15 in a set, to almost doing 30 in a set, has been really fun! You don't get the opportunity to be selfish with your time without guilt very often in life, and if you're gonna be alone anyway you may as well make the most of it.

Those are proactive things that take effort, but for an easier suggestion: avoid YouTube. Avoid Netflix. Avoid TV or streaming. Don't sit there and wallow. If you're gonna wallow, get up and move while you're wallowing. No point letting your body and mind feel shitty at the same time. I sold my TV and my PS5. I sold my sofa. My lounge is now a desk, my hobby stuff, and a radio. I feel productive. I feel great. I feel so fucking earth-shatteringly bored that I have to do something, rather than just sitting on my ass watching shit I don't even care about.

I wish you the best my friend ✌️

Oh! Also! Get a bit weird with it. I grew my hair out for seven years, but I trimmed it earlier this year, then shaved it all off after getting sober. Just recently, I shaved it into a mohawk, and a couple of weeks ago I shaved designs into the sides of my head. Whether it looks good or not isn't the point; the point is about reclaiming your self expression, and enjoying your selfish experience. Be self centered. Be protective of your time. Be expressive. Do what you want. Say what you want. Spend how you want. Sell your sofa. Paint your walls. Do something you've always wanted to do but haven't because you've felt self-conscious. If you're feeling invisible at the moment, make the most of it. I started baking recently, too. Totally blew my calorie budget for the day but I ate a whole loaf of chocolate chip banana bread and honestly it was worth it.