Early this morning I took my husband to get his left eye “fixed.”
His glaucoma (pressure on the eye) had not been responding to his daily drops, and his lens was getting cloudy, so the Doctor recommended he get a new lens and while he was in there, go ahead and get some little, tiny, tiny, tubes inserted to hopefully help with his pressure issues.
Isn’t it almost unbelievable what technology offers us today?
Thankfully, he’s home fine, and already on the mend. Amazing!
Some things are so much better than when we were young. And some things are so much harder.
Like making friends.
As a grown woman, it’s sometimes downright difficult to find like-minded friends and many of us are lonely and alone.
We know how important to our longevity strong relationships are. In fact, it seems like almost every day some new study comes out underlining how important positive relationships are for our health and wellbeing.
Making friends is one thing I’ve always been pretty good at, so I thought I’d share a few places I’ve looked for, and found, friends over the years. I’ve grouped them into interest areas.
1. Faith
Join a church. 🙂
I’ve gone to church my whole life, and every single time I move, I’ve worked to find a faith family to connect with. Once I found the church, then I start volunteering to get involved.
Here are some of the things I’ve volunteered for at church:
- Choir member
- Small group singing member
- Orchestra
- Children’s choir director
- Sunday School teacher
- Women’s Bible Study teacher
- Home Group attendee and leader
- ESL teacher
- Vacation Bible School musician and teacher
- Outreach activities
- Mission Trips
- Nursery attendant…and
- Greeter
I’m sure there are more, but I list these all out to show how many areas there are to meet new people who can become friends.
If you keep finding excuses why it’s too much of a hassle to go to church, and you find yourself lonely for deep friendships, I’d encourage you to take a deep breath and find a church near you.
You may have to try a few to find a good fit, but I assure you, there are places to serve and connect just waiting for you to show up!
2. Fitness
This is another easy place to make friends. Join a gym. There are about a million options for most of us, and I’ve often found classes to be a warm and welcoming place to meet like-minded friends.
It’s usually taken a bit of time to become friends (in my experience) but with time and consistency, you’ll find your people there, and friendships can develop.
Plus, you’re taking care of your body and releasing all kinds of good hormones into your brain when you work out – so win-win!
I can’t leave fitness without recommending Pickleball! 🙂 So many friendships have been formed on the courts, and it’s popping up all over the place, so why not try th fastest growing sport in the US? 🙂 The Places 2 Play website can get you started.
Think of a sport you love, and find a place to play. Future friends are waiting for you there!
3. Hobbies and Interests
Check your local Parks and Recreation guide for a listing of “hobby-type” activities available in your community.
Everything from reading groups to gardening, sewing, crocheting, art, travel, college classes, museums, and so much more are available for a nominal fee or free in most communities.
There’s a place to find a new hobby or pick up an old one, and once again, friends are waiting for you to show up.
Finally, I have to suggest that if you want to have friends, you need to be friendly.
When we moved into our Flower Mound home, I grabbed some bouquets of flowers at the local grocery store and took them, along with our names and contact information written on a card, over to our 2 new next-door neighbors.
One of them, Lynne, became one of my favorite friends and she invited me into her book club, which became another group of favorite friends. The other neighbor was not that interested in becoming friends, but still, we began a sweet neighbor-friendship.
Later my neighbor Lynn told me that she had never met my other neighbor until I introduced them in our front yard, and she had lived there for 15 years!
You might be surprised at the friendships waiting for you as you take the first step.
I hope these ideas stirred up some ideas you might have for making and nurturing your friendships. It’s so worth it, as our hearts long to be connected.
It’s up to us to make it happen, and I believe you can!
Cheering you on,
Christy 🙂