How do you make friends without losing yourself?
I have always struggled to make friends. A couple years ago I started to realize I'm probably autistic and have been masking for most of my life. Once I realized I began to slow stop masking as often because it was killing me. Over the past few years Ive tried to learn who I am instead of who people want me to be. I feel like I kinda know myself now, but now I don't have any friends because I'm not pretending to be the person everyone wants me to be. My partner is the only person in my life who accepts me but I spend most of my days alone. She is busy and works a lot. I try my best not to let it get to me but it's lonely at this point. Every year my birthday just reminds me how alone I am. I just want to make friends but I don't want to give up the person I am just to have them. How do you make meaningful friendships without having to give up all the things that make you, you?