Avoiding Humans Is My Self-Care Routine

What strategies do you use to increase comfort in your daily life?

If you ask me what strategies I use to stay comfortable in this chaotic world, I’ll give you the unfiltered truth: I avoid people like they’re contagious, and I stick close to the only souls that actually make sense—my three dogs and my wife. That’s the formula. That’s the blueprint for sanity.

Let’s get this out of the way first: the ex-wife? She’s like a bad radio station I never want to tune into again. Avoiding her is step one in my personal wellness plan. Just the idea of being around that energy makes my blood pressure spike. No thanks. Life’s too short to deal with someone who thinks arguing is a love language.

Now on to the real MVPs: my three dogs. Each one of them has a job. Jersey, the Saint Bernard, is in charge of being a snuggly, drooly heater. Larkin, the Belgian Malinois, runs perimeter security with military precision. And Aldo, the Miniature Pinscher, well… he supervises with a side of sass and manages the couch like it’s a throne. These three don’t judge, don’t talk back, and don’t try to sell me essential oils or invite me to awkward social events. Just loyalty, love, and the occasional fart.

Then there’s my wife—my real partner in comfort. She gets it. She gets me. We don’t need to go out and mingle to feel fulfilled. We’re perfectly happy being homebodies, binge-watching shows, talking about the dogs like they’re actual children, and enjoying each other’s presence without the pressure of social crap. She’s the calm in the storm and the one person who makes isolation feel like paradise.

And finally, the golden rule: avoid human interaction at all costs. I’m not built for small talk, fake smiles, or pretending to care about your weekend plans. I’m the guy who sees someone I know at the store and suddenly finds the ceiling tiles fascinating. If I can order it online, I will. If I can get it delivered without a conversation? Even better. People are exhausting. Comfort for me is less of them and more of everything else I love.

So yeah, if you’re wondering how I stay comfortable, the secret isn’t fancy candles or journaling. It’s dogs, my wife, and a firm commitment to ignoring the outside world as much as possible. And honestly? It’s working.