A Slow, Clumsy Process

On navigating a new routine.

Everything is new and strange.

I had a quiet Saturday after a wildly busy week of travel—a work trip to Sedona that showed me I haven’t spent nearly enough time in the southwestern part of this shockingly large country. And although my cat makes plenty of noise when he zooms up and down the hallway, I’m still adjusting to living alone again after nearly a year of being with my ex in the same apartment. So, while I love having the peace of not being responsible for anyone else’s mess or weird sleep schedule, there is something to be said about having built-in company.

I’ve always enjoyed spending time alone. I’m an extroverted introvert in the truest sense, namely that my batteries need to recharge after spending a lot of time around other people. That’s not to say I don’t like being with someone else, or a group of people. Far from it. So even though I enjoy living by myself about 92% of the time, I also got used to living with two different partners off and on over the last seven-ish years (whether or not those choices were good ones is a spiral for another time). That’s why, when a blissfully calm weekend day gives way to a similarly unbooked evening and you realize you haven’t really interacted with anyone in any meaningful way but you also don’t feel like venturing out in the world, it can be tough.

White shirt, black bra, glittery skirt heaven

Not to mention, the rhythm of my days has shifted so dramatically over the last four months that I honestly don’t think I’ve had time to sit back and take stock of where I’m at right now. New job? Check. Newly single? Check. New apartment? Yup. Family health issues? Don’t get me started. Everything has felt so overwhelming and has happened in such a relatively short amount of time that my brain is just now catching up to my current reality. There is a lot cooking at the moment!