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Why Is it So Hard for Me to Make Friends?
Somebody told me, “You’ll have to go find activities and friends, because they won’t find you.”
When my children were young, I had as many friends as I could handle. I was constantly seeking out play groups and activities for the kids, which threw me into contact with other parents. Because we had children the same ages and lived in the same neighborhoods, we became friends.
When my children were older and I entered the work force, I found friends among my co-workers. Some of us hit it off well enough to socialize after hours, and that satisfied my need for human interaction.
But after leaving my job to write full time, the social scenario changed dramatically. I no longer was a stay-at-home mom forced into friendships for the sake of the kids. I tried to keep up some of the work relationships for a while, but we didn’t have the common link of work holding us together.
I’m a natural introvert who recharges from time alone, happy to read, walk, write and spend time with family. But I recognize that friends enrich and expand our lives, giving us fresh perspectives and needed support. People are often our link to unexpected opportunities and broader horizons. I also have a lot more to talk to my husband about when I’ve been in contact…
