Don’t get us wrong, San Diego is a beautiful city. The weather is ideal, the combination of all nature has to offer; the beaches, hiking trails, city sights. But living in San Diego can be difficult at times, whether you are a local or not. Making connections and friends, the cost of living, and our social need to always be doing “more” is hard to keep up with.
Is it San Diego that Sucks, or a Lack of Connection that Sucks?
Many times, people come to San Diego for work or have relocated for their job. The first thought might not be “San Diego Sucks,” but being new to the area can make it difficult to connect with people outside the office. Making friends as an adult is hard, even if you are from the area. Being a San Diego local doesn’t necessarily mean all your friends or family still live here. And let’s face it, there isn’t really a “play date” for adults like there is for kids. Where can we meet people? Well for starters, what do you like to do for fun? Are you active? Go to a gym, a yoga studio, a fitness class? Introduce yourself to the person next to you, more times than not, if it is a place we frequent, we see some familiar faces. Start a conversation! You already have something in common. Taking work friendships outside the office is also a great place to start. Is there a colleague whom you have joked about Fantasy Football with or shared similar tastes in music? Reach out and connect with that person outside the office! Maybe it’s your church group, coffee shop, adult sports league, or even your kid’s friend’s parents- start a conversation. Say hello.
Getting Connected Can Make Any City “Suck” Less
It can be difficult to know where to start with friendships and close relationships as an adult. They seem to come naturally as kids, “we went to school together” or “we were on the same team.” Sometimes these situations give you the opportunity to spend lots of time getting to know someone. We know that a strong support system in a community can help relieve stress. But as an adult, we find that it’s not as fluid and we need to learn to initiate conversations.
Meeting with a therapist can help you build the tools to find and maintain healthy, authentic connections. Sometimes finding out more about ourselves can help us to identify in others what we like. At Connected, Seen & Heard we offer individual, group, and community therapy opportunities to dial in on skill development, self-exploration, and help you to create your own strong support network.