"Relocating to a new city is a mixed bag - especially when you're nearing retirement. When I moved away from home for grad school in 1990 at age 28, it was easy to socialize, since I was surrounded by classmates eager to make friends. But in 2021,when I moved from New York to Miami for work at age 58,it was much harder to meet new people. The COVID-19 pandemic was still lingering, and I tried to connect with colleagues over a socially distanced lunch, but I couldn't really join clubs or meet neighbours. I found it hard to expand my relationships beyond work."
"I looked through my Facebook friends and LinkedIn connections for people who lived in Miami. I paused on Bruno's name because he brought back good memories. We had worked together seven years prior,when our respective companies collaborated on a project. I valued his ability to drive impressive results and radiate infectious positivity. He'd mentioned at the time that he appreciated how I kept the project on track."
After moving from New York to Miami at age 58, socializing proved difficult because of lingering COVID-19 restrictions and fewer opportunities outside work. Attempts to connect with colleagues were limited to socially distanced lunches, and clubs or neighbor interactions were not available. The decision to reach out to former acquaintances led to reviewing Facebook and LinkedIn, and pausing on a former collaborator named Bruno. Prior professional interactions revealed Bruno's positivity and effectiveness. Despite initial hesitation due to a primarily work-based relationship, rekindling that connection developed into a close friendship that made retirement more fulfilling.
Read at Business Insider
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