Feeling Lost and Needing Guidance, Assalamu Alaikum
Assalamu Alaikum brothers, I've been struggling mentally all year. I messed things up with a woman almost a year ago and I still think about it. That situation knocked my confidence and left me feeling alone even though I have friends, family, and Allah. I'm confused and lost about how to find what I'm seeking in love, companionship, and a halal partnership. I notice attractive women at the gym or elsewhere, but I never seem to know how to act. I don't want to make mistakes and displease Allah, but at the same time I worry I'm just making excuses and holding myself back. I'm not the type to go to a therapist, and I don't have much support: my older brother and I don't have a good relationship, my dad drinks, and I've never talked to my mother about girls, relationships, or marriage. I also don't have many friends in the same situation - I have two close Muslim friends, one is very introverted and the other behaves in ways I don't agree with. Sometimes I feel like I'm running out of time and that it will only get harder to find what I'm looking for as time goes by. I'm trying to improve myself in every way I can each day, but 2025 has been a really difficult year for me mentally. Alhamdulillah for what I do have, and I could really use some practical advice or dua suggestions from anyone who's been through something similar. JazakAllah khair.