On living alone

I'm a big girl now. I get up for work by myself. I get ready and eat my breakfast at the kitchen table while reading whatever article or study section then head for work. When I get home I shower/change into clean clothes and make something to eat. It's a rarity that I make a fancy meal because, hey, it's just me and I'm not trying to impress me. I do whatever reading I need to get done then watch a bit of hulu or skype or chat with friends/family who I wish were closer. I climb into bed and turn off the light while the hum of my fan puts me to sleep.

I'm not a person who typically seeks solitude. Some people need that "alone time", but I have never really been one of those people. I'm not one of those people that talks to themselves to break the silence. I seek company, friendship, and sharing. So getting used to living alone has been an adjustment.

... But for now I think I'm doing a good job. In some ways I'm better at taking care of myself. I started flossing (which I have never done with any regularity) and feel like my dental hygiene is really exceptional. Haha! Sometimes I'll even paint my fingernails! I'm still running several times a week and eating well. I've got house projects that I'm working on and there is still a lot of studying to do every day.

And there are ways that I break up the silence. I have my old Carolina laptop set up in the kitchen to play music while I'm domesticating. I skype with my family and friends a couple of times a week. And since the grocery/drug store is only 1/4 mile from my house, I will only walk/bike to the store (which means I have to go more often but enjoy the trip a couple of times a week). I can get caught up in the trap of being stuck inside myself and I have to kick myself in the tail and push myself out the door. When I do I'm always pleasantly surprised at finding something new in the quaint little neighborhood that I live in (like a climbing partner at the local outdoor shop!).

I'm looking for any and all advice on how to stay well-rounded as a single girl in a new town living alone. When I look back on times of my life when I was alone, I reflect on those times as my strongest, most independent moments and realize the character growth that I underwent as a result of those challenges. I know that it may take upwards of a year to feel like I've got a place in this town and to feel like I really fit in, but I know it will come because I'm not the kind of girl who will sit back and watch the world pass her by... I'm a carpe diem kinda girl.