I recently had the opportunity to enjoy an outdoor dinner with friends I had not seen in several years since COVID. It was great to reconnect with people who feel like family. So many of us are experiencing a sense of isolation these days. While we may interact with many people on Zoom, it is easy to feel alone.

A coaching client recently explored with me her sense of loneliness. Like many of us, Sally, an executive with a demanding role, has been very busy with her career, her children and even aging parents. Creating friendships has not been a focus.

Another client, who recently retired, told me he was surprised how his phone has stopped ringing and it seems that his work friends have moved on or forgotten about him. This is a common phenomenon. People are busy and move on with their lives.

A friend of mine, who is in her 90’s, also feels isolated since many of her outings with friends have been curtailed by COVID. One advantage she has is that she has several close friends that she speaks with daily. These were friendships formed early in her career that became more than just work friends. They had invested time with each other, gone on trips together and visited each other’s homes. They are benefitting from long friendships at this stage of their lives.

While we have a lot of variance, we are social beings who benefit from interacting with others. It is important to invest in relationships. It is valuable to make time for connecting with people who have similar interests and also to expand our circle of connections.

How are you investing in building friendships?