It’s Not You… Making Friends and Building Community Gets Harder as We Get Older

Remember when making friends was as simple as sharing your crayons in kindergarten or sitting next to someone new at lunch or just working on a school project together with other classmates?

Making friends was easy. And as we get older, it becomes harder. It is not that we are not friend-able, it is just a matter of life and work. And if you are finding yourself in a situation like, it is not just you. Making friends is hard as we older, because:

• Time Constraints: Work, family, and personal responsibilities increase, leaving less time to socialize or meet new people.
• Fewer Natural Opportunities: Schools and universities are natural environments for meeting people, but in adulthood, structured social environments are less frequent.
• Established Circles: People often already have established friend groups, which can make them less open to new relationships.
• Changing Priorities: Values, interests, and lifestyles may evolve over time, sometimes leading us away from previous friends, and making it harder to find others with similar perspectives.
• Increased Caution: With age, people may become more cautious in building relationships, having experienced friendship complexities in the past.
• Geographic Limitations: Moving for work or other life changes can disrupt friendships and make it difficult to form new connections.

As professionals, we often find ourselves yearning for those seemingly effortless connections while navigating the complex world of work and life, and the corresponding relationships and professional networks. The challenge of building meaningful connections in professional settings is a universal experience, shaped by factors like competition, remote work environments and, simply, increased biases, prejudices or just caution.

Understanding that this difficulty is a common phenomenon rather than a personal failing is the first step toward addressing it.

But we have a powerful tool at our disposal: gratitude. The intentional practice of appreciation can transform casual workplace interactions into meaningful connections and help break down the barriers that often exist in professional settings to make new friends or build communities or networks of support. While building a community may still be challenging, combining strategic networking with authentic gratitude creates opportunities for deeper, more sustainable relationships that benefit everyone involved.

Practice Visible Appreciation

Making gratitude visible in the workplace creates a culture of recognition and connection.

• Send thoughtful thank-you notes when colleagues contribute to your work
• Publicly acknowledge team members' contributions during meetings
• Share specific examples of how others' work has positively impacted yours
• Create a gratitude channel in your workplace communication platform

Build Reciprocal Support Networks

Using gratitude as a foundation, create meaningful two-way professional relationships.

• Proactively offer help to colleagues and express thanks when receiving support
• Connect team members who could benefit from each other's expertise
• Maintain a "gratitude journal" of professional support received and given
• Follow up with people who've helped you to share the positive outcomes

Use Gratitude to Bridge Departments

Appreciation can break down silos and foster cross-functional relationships.

• Recognize contributions from other departments that support your work
• Organize cross-departmental appreciation events or initiatives
• Share success stories that highlight inter-department collaboration
• Create opportunities for teams to express mutual appreciation

Transform Professional Connections Through Recognition

Deepen professional relationships by making recognition a regular practice.

• Schedule regular "appreciation check-ins" with your network
• Share specific, detailed feedback about what you value in colleagues' work
• Create mentorship relationships based on mutual appreciation and learning
• Establish traditions of celebration and recognition within your professional community

Leverage Gratitude in Professional Development

Use appreciation to create opportunities for growth and learning.

• Express genuine interest in colleagues' expertise and thank them for sharing knowledge
• Acknowledge those who've contributed to your professional growth
• Create learning opportunities where team members can share their skills
• Use gratitude to build stronger relationships with mentors and mentees

By approaching community-building with both intention and appreciation, we can create strong networks that enhance our work lives and support our career aspirations while fostering a more positive and collaborative professional environment for everyone.

Make Friends and Build a Community - START HERE: "A Mini-Summit on the Power of Gratitude and Resilience in Times of Stress and Uncertainty"

Leading with resilience and gratitude is more than just a leadership philosophy, but a necessity to navigate the increasing levels of stress and uncertainty in life and work.

This mini-summit brings together forward-thinking leaders to explore how fostering gratitude and building resilience can serve as the foundation for thriving organizations in times of disruption, especially as we transform the future of people + work.

In this mini-summit attendees will gain actionable tools and strategies to:

1. Learn practical tools to navigate uncertainty with clarity and confidence, while supporting the mental well-being of their teams;

2. Develop leadership practices that harness the power of gratitude to improve employee experience, trust, and retention, even during challenging times;

3. Identify the key drivers of organizational resilience and how to integrate them into daily operations and long-term strategic planning; and

4. Gain insights on how to lead with empathy, adaptability, and strength, fostering a culture of gratitude that can withstand the pressures of uncertainty.

Sessions

Session 1: Tools and Insights to Navigate Stress and Uncertainty (7 to 7:40 a.m.)

• Brooke Daniels
• Heather Dunn Sanja Licina, Ph.D.
• Noelle Peart, SHRM-SCP
• Julie Turney, (HRforHR)
• Moderator: ?Mine (Kocadag) Dedekoca

Session 2: Strategies for Leading People and Organizations with Gratitude in Challenging Times (7:45 to 8:25 a.m.)

• Antoinette Chukudebelu
• Alex Kweskin
• Terry Shiundu
• Joanna Kmiec, CHRL
• Penny Farinha
• Moderated by Sarah Siyani

Registration

1. Click here and sign up/log in
2. Go to events and register