Originally Posted by
Thumpalumpacus 
Hoya Glee. We had a chat today that is gnawing at me because she won't say anything about any future possibility for us. I know I have to simply wash my hands of it, but my feelings aren't really cooperating with my rationality today. It's hard living with the emptiness she filled in my heart. To her credit, she's being fairly straightforward, although in an open-ended manner that leaves my torn between hoping, and taking those hopes out back and shooting them. Tl/dr: I know what I need to do, and right now just dealing with the unhappiness which comes with firming that decision to the point of execution. Thanks for listening, it's much appreciated. And congrats on your anniversary. You're an inspiration!
Thumpa and KIR -
Aligning my expectations and my acceptance was a turning point for me.
I still stress over what other people do or don't do. No matter what's gnawing at me - and lots of things do - I find it helpful to remember that I cannot necessarily control it. This gets easier with time, but for me there's been more to it than just getting easier - living this way has become fulfilling with time.
It's the inverse of feeling lonely even when surrounded by people while depressed; when I'm using my recovery tools, I can feel fulfilled even when in difficult situations.
Acceptance is the answer to most of my troubles!