Making Friends In Your 40s (Without A Cottage Or Boat) Is Brutal

Even as an adult, you never shake the feeling of being that kid in the schoolyard, awkwardly standing with your arms outstretched, asking, ‘Hey, wanna be my friend?’

Now it’s more likely to happen in a fitness class, at work, when you’re hanging around your kids’ sports activities or at their school.

But the awkward feelings are still the same.

As part of a couple, you meet other couples along the way that you have things in common with. Sometimes it’s a shared interest such as camping or a sport. Sometimes it’s your faith or your kids being involved in the same activities. Or maybe it’s your neighbours (because it’s easy to get together when you live on the same street).

At times it can feel like dating. ‘Oh you’re vegetarian AND you don’t watch sports? Meh. Not a match’.