"Remember when making friends was as simple as sharing your crisps at break time? Or bonding over a mutual hatred of your boss at the office Christmas party? If you're over 50 and finding it harder to forge new friendships, you're not imagining it. And before you start wondering if you've become insufferable or lost your social touch, let me stop you right there. The struggle is real, but it's not about you being broken."
"Think about it. In our twenties and thirties, we had built-in friend-making machines everywhere. University halls, office water coolers, parents at the school gates. These weren't just places; they were social ecosystems designed for connection. Now? Many of us work from home. The kids have flown the nest. The regular touchpoints that once threw potential friends into our path have vanished."
"Here's something nobody talks about: by 50, most people have their friendship slots filled. They've got their university mates, their work friends from three jobs ago, their couple friends from when the kids were young. Adding someone new isn't just about liking them. It's about finding space in an already packed schedule. It's choosing between drinks with you or their monthly book club that's been running for fifteen years."
Social environments that naturally produced friendships—university halls, office water coolers, and parents at school gates—have largely disappeared for many people over 50. Remote work and empty nests remove casual contact points that once led to new relationships. Most people already have established friendship networks and limited social 'slots' and time, making it harder to be added. Adults also become choosier about whom they befriend and weigh competing commitments. Forming new adult friendships now requires intentional action, persistence, and time spent in shared activities or groups to gradually build connection.
Read at Silicon Canals
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