Battling Solitude and Being Alone...

[ShoelessWes]

I figure this is a pretty diverse crowd, maybe some people will have some insight.

I travel and live out of hotels/short term condos, full time for my job(s). Because I'm never really anywhere long enough to establish friendships, I spend almost all of my time surrounded by strangers, or alone. I sometimes go weeks/months without interacting in person with a human being outside of my work sphere.

This lifestyle is really starting to take its toll. Because I have so little interaction with others, I've begun failing at social interaction in person from over-eagerness and being out of practice. In the cyberwebs, my life finds itself slowly becoming more disconnected with people I interact with on Facebook/Tubenet/Etc, because I unload on them or come across as eccentric (and the more time I spend alone, the more eccentric I become).

If anyone has any similar experiences they'd like to share, shoot me an email or post in here. I'd love to connect with someone who was in my position in their 20's/30's.'

Does anyone have any ideas on how to battle this funk? I'd rather fight it out until I move up the ladder in my current job spheres, instead of ditching a well paying profession with upward mobility.

[The Jackson]

I think I know exactly what you're talking about, mate. My time so far in college has been one of great change for me regarding my interactions and relationships with other people. To be put it simply, I now try to be to most energetic, friendly, and out-going person I can be. I have a couple of well-established circles of friends, but the folks at my college seem to be organised into large de facto cliques, usually by what their study is. It's a big place, though, and I always see new faces that I probably won't see again. Thinking about it now, I always strive to make the best first (only??) impression I can on everyone I see or meet. I enjoy feeling good, but it feels even better if I can brighten someone else's day in even the smallest way. I like it when people are nice and friendly to me, so I try to act and behave the same way. Eccentricity is not a bad thing, too. Once I started really accepting and "being myself" (corny, I know), everything around me just seemed to come alive. It felt like a shift from monochrome to full color. It might just be a part of growing up, and it might even just be a phase, but I'm sticking to it in full force.

Maybe this is the kind of response you're looking for? I know how it feels to decide between going out and isolating. Most times I feel like staying alone, but I'll go against what I'm feeling and agree to join whatever's happening and I almost always feel great afterward.

[bearphonium]

I would suggest checking events on college / junior college campuses in areas that interest you, or other hobby groups that meet on a regular basis. Even if you can't "join" on a permanent basis, you can still get some joining in along with some interactions with like minded folks.

[Bob Kolada]

Take a week off and come hang out in Chicago with me.

[bort]

Time for shoes...?

[ShoelessWes]

Time for shoes...?

Not necessarily shoes persay, but when it snows this much, I wear my Schnee's. Super warm and super reliable (plus, American made). A Montana secret of sorts.

Thanks for all the replies guys, offline and otherwise.

So far all the responses have been super helpful, insightful, and genuine. Couldn't ask for a better group of people than 99.9% of you guys here on Tubenet.