Hello Beautiful People,

I am just going to go ahead and submit that making new friends is hard. Well, let me rephrase – making new friends in a new city is hard.

When you’re younger it’s much easier to break the ice and start new friendship – when you’re 26, not so much. Then add a new city in the mix for a greater challenge. This is how I stumbled on the Narcity article, which offered minimal sound advice. Most of the suggestions were things that you’d likely end up doing alone just surrounded by people. Not the goal.

When you’ve built a life in a certain city you have an established network and can assume the “NO NEW FRIENDS” mentality. Well, I don’t have that luxury. At this point I am about to put an ad out on craigslist! I jest. But really, outside of my local church I don’t necessarily network as much as I could and should. To be honest networking has always been something that’s brought on anxiety and maybe some sweaty palms.

As I have declared many times this year .this is 26 – and with that it’s time to begin stepping out of my comfort zone.

Maybe you have no problem networking and making new friends – but there is likely an area wherein you can challenge yourself! What’s one thing that you have been shying away from? DO IT! Write it down and make plans toward your goal.

Personally – I am going to make a point to…

1. join a book club
2. attend 1 conference/workshop/seminar at least once a month
3. go to an improv class at least once a month [which is not that far fetched because I am actually a Theatre minor – more on that another time…]

Maybe by the end of the summer I will have enough boldness to attend a networking mixer on my own. *baby steps*

How are you going to step out of your box this summer?