True happiness arises, in the first place, from the enjoyment of one’s self, and in the next, from the friendship and conversation of a few select companions.

Two things carry most of a good life, and neither one is a crowd. The first is being able to sit with yourself without needing to escape, which is a skill and not a temperament. The second is a small number of people you can talk to properly. Nothing in that list scales; more company does not make it truer, and a wider circle usually thins the conversations you already have.

Spend an evening alone this week without filling it, and see how it goes. Then give one long, unhurried hour to whoever you actually want to talk to.