I go through this, too. Especially with comedy, sooo many people come in and out of your life. I've lost touch with so many.
I'm terrible at maintaining relationships because my natural state is just to sink back into my little hole. I don't know the answer, but part of it (I think) is that people aren't judging you as harshly as you think they are.
Friendships need the regular recurring rituals that other relationships have. Like weekly family dinners, anniversaries, date nights, etc.
It's weird to have to create these for friendships because it's terrifying and kinda emabarrasing to make it a Whole Thing. I wish they just existed already so we could quietly slip into them and our platonic relationships can have their much-needed lifeblood.
This is also probably why introverts need to be adopted by extroverts, aka the people who don't think that making these efforts is a terrifying idea.
Looking back over my last half-century of experience I've had people whom I've considered to be close friends but we're not, I've also had close friends who've shuffled off the mortal coil. Perhaps that's why I'm keep my distance these days, close friends increase the risk of loss.
I go through this, too. Especially with comedy, sooo many people come in and out of your life. I've lost touch with so many.
I'm terrible at maintaining relationships because my natural state is just to sink back into my little hole. I don't know the answer, but part of it (I think) is that people aren't judging you as harshly as you think they are.
Friendships need the regular recurring rituals that other relationships have. Like weekly family dinners, anniversaries, date nights, etc.
It's weird to have to create these for friendships because it's terrifying and kinda emabarrasing to make it a Whole Thing. I wish they just existed already so we could quietly slip into them and our platonic relationships can have their much-needed lifeblood.
This is also probably why introverts need to be adopted by extroverts, aka the people who don't think that making these efforts is a terrifying idea.
Oof this hits home
Looking back over my last half-century of experience I've had people whom I've considered to be close friends but we're not, I've also had close friends who've shuffled off the mortal coil. Perhaps that's why I'm keep my distance these days, close friends increase the risk of loss.
I would love to be your friend and I don't think you suck at it ^_^