Friendship + Community. I’ve noticed, as I get older, that these are two things that many people around me are seeking. People desperately want to be known and understood. They want to belong to something outside of themselves.

I get it. Even as an introvert I can recognize what loneliness feels like. I’ve had my fair share of loneliness. Sometimes I’ve been lonely because I’ve had a lack of friendships, sometimes I’ve been lonely in a crowded room filled with “friends”. Whether you are surrounding yourself with the wrong people or don’t know how to find friendship, I get it. It’s hard.

Don’t give up. The truth is, the older we get the less space we have for intimate relationships in our lives. If we are married, if we have kids, when we are working 40+ hours a week, it is hard to carve time for true vulnerable relationship. It also means we have less time to waste on fake friends.

What do you want to get out of your friendships? Why have them? Take a look at the people you are surrounding yourself with and spending the most time with. As someone who chased a lot of friendships that were not fulfilling throughout her life, let me tell you: LET GO of the relationships that aren’t feeding you. In doing so you will make room for something better. You deserve to be known.