After dinner with friends last night RJ and I reflected on the fact that we have found some quality people who we now consider to be "lifers" (life long friends) in Michigan. When you move to a new place that is thousands of miles away from your family and friends you have to fight against the little voice in your head that is telling you that you won't meet new people. I was determined to meet new people and couldn't have imagined that some of the people we have met would grow into friendships we will cherish and cultivate for life. Below are some of the friends in Michigan whom we love so much! (Sorry Brooke and Josh for stealing a Facebook picture, we clearly need to take some pictures!)
Here are some tips to meeting new friends if you move away or are feeling like you could add some numbers to your current friend crew:
- Be brave. Say hi to someone at the gym, reach out to someone on LinkedIn (worked for me!), and don't be afraid to ask a co-worker to lunch.
- Be open. Make room in your heart for new friends (this is the hardest part). Share with the new person about your life (not just your favorite movie or color) and ask them about their life.
- Be yourself. Don't try to be someone you are not in order to find a friend. When we first moved here I met someone who I just did not relate to and instead of trying to shift who I was to gain a friend, I simply didn't pursue the friendship. It is a lot easier to do this as a grown-up, but still tricky to navigate.
- Be happy. It is easy to get sad about missing your friends from home, but being happy is contagious to potential new friends.