the importance of friendships

[andyjohnsonman]

So I have always been an extrovert with many close bonds and friendship groups. Over the last few years since getting into actualized content, I have become more introspective and have been spending the majority of my time alone reading, meditating or being mindful of thoughts. I remember it was Leo's lifestyle minimalism video where he said about friendships being the icing on the cake and to get the foundations right first. However over the last year I have really isolated myself which is fine but when I go on social media it gives me the impression I am missing out. I suppose the question is as happiness and fulfilment is what most people are seeking how important are friendships and have I gone too far the other way by isolating myself from these? If you think of monks or enlightened beings meditating in a cave they dont have any friendships but theres something in the back of my mind telling me I should be more sociable and being a lone wolf isn't my authentic self.

[Damir Elezi]

If you are an extrovert, it is only natural that you crave contact to other people, even if it's just surface-level relationships. Hell, every person wants companions he can interact with, we are social creatures after all. However, don't look at social media posts and think this is how your life should be like. These posts portray the reality of the relationships and friendships most people have in a very distorted way. Do not look for friends just to bitch and moan with them. You should have friends who you can grow with, who help your in your aspirations, who inspire you. And you should do the same for them. Friendships and deep bondings of this kind can be very fulfilling and beneficial for your life, especially if you're a stage-orange type of guy, moving into stage green in spiral dynamics. There are those toxic friendships though, which only aim towards killing time together and bullshitting. Leo calls those people "victim companions" in one of his videos lol. Get rid of those.

[ivory]

You can become depressed in isolation. I know from experience. Relationships are necessary for a basic level of mental health. When you start to feel lonely or sad more often than not you have gone too far in your solitude.

[YaNanNallari]

3 hours ago, andyjohnsonman said:

but when I go on social media it gives me the impression I am missing out

Maybe it would make you happier, at that moment. Will it be the end all be all, the ultimately fulfilling realization? It won't, it doesn't have to be. So friends and all, they can make you happy to a degree. We are human after all and have habits built into us to avoid loneliness. After some time however, you start to see how happiness can come from within too and the rush of joy that friends bring will not be something you need as much. So when it comes to the question of this, Leo for example this here: 

 

Edited December 19, 2018 by YaNanNallari

[xoxoxwillxoxox]

Yeah, don't isolate yourself too much if it doesn't feel right. Living alone in a cave isn't for everyone. I've tried longterm isolation, it sucks. Idk how they do it. I've also gotten lost in "forcing" myself to do things for the sake of "spirituality." Then I realized I was just being neurotic. True spirituality is often the path of least resistance.