Major kudos for recognizing that you need a support system IRL. Kudos galore for actually taking on the task of creating one.

You sketched out your family, but how about friends? I have no family, so I needed someone who could make decisions for me if I couldn't. I looked among my friends in a way I never had before & realized I was blessed with a new family of sorts, and I now have three people i can talk with about anything.

I also have found one person at work whom I trust & I have gotten to the place where I can talk to her about a lot of things. Confession: i tested her a few times, telling her stuff & waiting to see whether any of it came back. I may also have a neighbor--am still in the trial phase. But he definitely shows promise.

Understand, please, I wish I could take people at face value but I can't. I've been burned too many times.

With all of these people, I had to initiate the relationship or at some point put myself out there to keep it going. That took me way outside my comfort zone. In hindsight, I'm so glad I did.