It's a hard problem because people's individual psychologies are so different; more concretely, what works for one person might not for another. Here's what wo

It's a hard problem because people's individual psychologies are so different; more concretely, what works for one person might not for another. Here's what worked for me. In terms of thoughts, I rejected the conditioning (maybe even the instinct) that I need to have lots of friends, or even a close friend, to be happy. I still dress nice and take care of myself, but I'm happier with solitary activities like reading, where I can still learn from other people. I also don't hesitate to do typical group activities by myself sometimes (e.g. grabbing a nice dinner or going to the movies). I also do see people at martial arts, though it's less of a direct friendship with them. For a population instead of an individual, I would generally recommend being okay with being solitary and staying connected by working on projects or anything related to physical fitness without expecting friendships. I think it's hard to have a best friend for most people as you get older, anyways; I believe it's better for a significant other to be a close confidant in that sense.