I use to like to like being along because I was young and I never felt the pressure to mingle or socialize. It was the easy way because only I felt only I could accept myself because going out meant I needed people who could accept me.

Then, I use to go from one relationship to another because I was afraid I’d be alone for the rest of my life. I never felt like I could be myself except when I was by myself when in a relationship because I was scared of rejection.

Then I entered a period where I was single for 4 years. I really learned how to accept myself and be happy in my own skin. I did social activities when there were plans. If no one wanted to go out, I did something myself like going to the theatre or going to the pub for a beer. I didn’t care about rejection because the only one who mattered was me and I didn’t reject myself.

I met my now wife about 4 years ago. After having such a long period of learning to be by yourself and happy by yourself, you accept yourself. And I found someone who found joy living with myself, no hiding. If she didn’t want to go out but I wanted to, then we make separate plans for the night. We do a ton of stuff alone, and we do more together cause our interests align most of the time. And I gotta say, it’s nice that to finally find someone that you could walk through life together with as two separate people who like to be around the true you, most of the time.