Find Your People and Enrich Your Life

I had the best therapy ever – a week with my sisters...

We have had annual sisters’ trips for the last 25+ years. We are always told by many how lucky we are. And we do realize we have something special that not everyone has and are forever grateful for it.

One of my sisters asked us each to read “Find Your People – Building Deep Community in a Lonely World” by Jennie Allen before our trip. We had some good conversations about it over the week.

It’s about how we are surrounded by people in our lives, but how many are truly rich and nurturing relationships vs mere acquaintances?

How many friends do you have who feel comfortable enough to stop by unannounced, help themselves to your refrigerator to get a drink, sit down, and ask how you’re doing?

She goes on to say how never before in the history of the world have we been more connected…so why do so many feel isolated?

Many of us are waiting for others to initiate.

How often have you been told by someone (or you told someone), “Let’s get together for dinner soon!” and then never hear from them?

Those words can become automatic responses and empty promises.

People are meant to have people in their lives. As humans, we are meant to have meaningful human connections. It doesn’t matter if you’re an extrovert or an introvert.

Imagine the difference you can make in someone’s life by taking the time to really listen to someone. To not be in such a hurry. To let someone in your life know how important they are to you.

There is a difference between acquaintances and those in your inner circle, which are the 2 to 5 people who really know you and are keeping tabs on you day by day.

Allen says, “if you are trying to make friendship an addendum to your busy schedule, it will never work. Relationships should arise out of your everyday places and your everyday activities.”

You may have acquaintances who could be in your inner circle that you haven’t considered. They could be at work, a neighbor, someone in your book club, or in your golf league.

Do these relationships take work? Yes, of course, they do. It’s a give-and-take.

But the rewards can be deeply satisfying and fulfilling. It can make life richer.

How much time do you take to foster deep meaningful relationships?

How do you “find your people?”