Hi Lauren,

It sounds like you are ready to start anew after you have reinvented yourself. I share a similar story in that I have decided about three years ago to reinvent myself. I did that by sort of isolating myself from my friends in a gradual process. Your true friends will understand what you are trying to do, so they will be there for you. You mentioned you occasionally speak to a few of your friends. Well I will assume those are your close ones. It is the quality of your friendships that matter, not the quantity.

Don’t let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it. The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use. -Earl Nightingale

After a period of isolation, it is definitely hard to jump back into social gatherings, etc. What I did was basically make conversation with strangers whenever I go outside (in the park, supermarket, cafe, etc). Little by little, you build your confidence in interacting with people again, and then you’ll be back on your feet again in no time. Also, I should mention being outside in nature (parks, shores, gardens, etc) is conducive to helping you relax, think less, and “flow naturally”.

As the saying goes, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Hope this helps,
James