Hi Brooke,
Last month I wrote about feeling lonely as a mom of older teens who works at home. I have a wonderful spouse and kids, and close friends but they all live far away and we don’t speak regularly. Although I have lived in my current community for 15 years, I have not made many friends that I feel very connected with. I have a handful of friends who I can call once in awhile to get together socially, but it seems like it never goes beyond this. Plus, it feels one-sided — even the few times we get together or talk, it’s always me reaching out first and I can’t think of any “evidence” where the other person takes the initiative.

I have worked on many models and have become happier spending more time by myself and enjoying my company or the company of my family. I have changed my thought from “It’s hard to make friends at this stage of my life” to “I’m learning how to make deeper connections every day.” However, I would like closer girlfriends who live nearby and was wondering how I should structure this month and the topic of relationships around that.