ANNE-MARIE McELRONE’S and Susan Goupil’s sons played together on the same Dartmouth, N.S. soccer team, but they had never met. Then Goupil volunteered her home as the pick-up spot for the team’s uniforms—and answered the door wearing leggings and high heels. “Wow,” McElrone remembers thinking, “that’s impressive for 10:30 a.m. on a Saturday.”
It wasn’t just Goupil’s style that impressed McElrone—it was her positive energy. The two started chatting at games. When Goupil asked for help with a team barbecue, McElrone volunteered her grill. They started going to yoga together. Soon, they were introducing each other to their friend groups. “I wasn’t expecting to make new friends at my age,” says McElrone, now 53. “Not those close, turn-to-all the-time kinds of friends.”
Close friendships can be transformative—and not just for our social calendars. Friends make us feel safe and reduce our stress. In Goupil, McElrone had found a confidante, and someone she can count on. Their now eight-year-old friendship has also helped her discover new things about herself. “I wasn’t always comfortable in my skin,” she says. “I’ve found a way to be more confident and more myself by watching her and seeing her reflect back to me what she sees in me.”
Making—and keeping—friends can be challenging at any age, but it can feel especially daunting as we grow older. Time, distance, work and family responsibilities can all become barriers to finding and maintaining friendships. Luckily, there are simple things you can do to both deepen existing friendships and build new ones.
Take action
When you’re feeling lonely and isolated, it can be hard to bond with others. To break the cycle—or prevent it in the first place—you need to be proactive.
This story is from the October 2020 edition of Reader's Digest Canada.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the October 2020 edition of Reader's Digest Canada.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
ALLISON JANNEY - 5 THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT ME
THE OSCAR-WINNING ACTRESS OPENS UP ABOUT MUSIC, HER PERFECT MAN AND MORE!
Obsessed WITH BEING SKINNY
FROM SURGERY TO WEIGHT-LOSS DRUGS TO EXTREME DIETS, CELEBRITIES ARE GOING TO GREAT LENGTHS TO SLIM DOWN.
Taylor &Travis' SEXY VACAY!
WITH A RARE BREAK IN BOTH THEIR SCHEDULES, TAYLOR SWIFT AND TRAVIS KELCE GET SOME QUALITY TIME IN THE BAHAMAS.
DANNY'S LIFE BEHIND BARS
On March 13, Danny Masterson celebrated his 48th birthday behind bars at the California Men's Colony in San Luis Obispo, Calif. Days later, his estranged wife, Bijou Phillips, was spotted visiting the convicted rapist for the first time, along with their 10-year-old daughter, Fianna.
THE NEXT JIMMY?
\"Jimmy was only a few years older than Lou when he started JKL,\" says an insider. \"So he sees a parallel.\"
DONNA PESCOW - NEVER Give Up
The Saturday Night Fever alum and sitcom star reflects on the long road she's traveled
Bella's EXTREME ROUTINE!
IT TAKES A LOT TO LOOK THIS GOOD: THE MODEL SHARES HER WELLNESS LINEUP AND IT'S A BEAST.
BRAVE CELINE: 'I REFUSE TO GIVE UP'
On March 15 International Stiff-Person Syndrome Awareness Day - Celine Dion had a message for her fans: \"I remain determined to one day get back onto the stage and to live as normal of a life as possible,\" the \"My Heart Will Go On\" singer, who was diagnosed with the debilitating condition in 2022, wrote in an emotional Instagram message.
BEN'S BAD CAR KARMA
Get Ben Affleck a membership to AAA! From fender benders to breakdowns, the A-lister's luxe automobiles are always giving him trouble.
MYSTERY ENGULFS AIRPLANE SAFETY SQUEALER'S DEATH
John Barnett feared he'd be murdered for exposing Boeing flaws
FRAGILE CARA QUIVERS AS FIRE WIPES HER OUT!
CRUSHED Cara Delevingne lost her $7 million L.A. mansion and nearly all of her worldly possessions in a blazing inferno - and friends of the Only Murders in the Building beauty fear the tragedy will incinerate her newfound sobriety and send her into yet another deep depression!
ZOMBIE JESSICA SHUFFLING INTO DANGER ZONE
Odd & reclusive behavior sparks relapse terror
NEW MEDICAL AMMO SWATS SUPERBUGS!
TWO revolutionary new antibiotics are being hailed as miracle meds that can kill drug-resistant superbugs and save millions of lives by fighting staph infection and pneumonia!
JAMIE FOXX IS LOSING HIS MOJO!
FICKLE Jamie Foxx has pumped the brakes on proposing to galpal Alyce Huckstepp after getting over his brush with death — and now the Oscar winner has resumed his workaholic ways, tipsters tattle.
JIMMIE DODGES GAL'S BEST SHOT
SCANDAL-RAVAGED Jimmie Allen hopes to rescue his rocky marriage and country music career now that his ex-manager has dropped her rape and sexual abuse lawsuit against him, sources squeal.
KANYE CREATES STEPFORD KIM!
Replaces baby mom by dressing Bianca like TV star ex-wife
KATHARINE HEPBURN & LAUREN BACALL - Inside Their SPECIAL FRIENDSHIP
THE LEGENDARY ACTRESSES FORGED A STRONG, SUPPORTIVE RELATIONSHIP THAT LASTED MORE THAN 50 YEARS
VALERIE BERTINELLI - Finds Love After Heartbreak
After going through a tough divorce in 2022, Valerie Bertinelli swore off dating.
Taylor & Travis - MOVE IN TOGETHER
Now, he's got the keys to her heart - and home! Taylor purchased the 10,982 - squarefoot pad back in 2015.
HARRY OFFICIALLY GOES HOLLYWOOD!
Hobnobbing with celebrities appears to be one of Prince Harry's new favorite hobbies!
Jen Breaks Her Silence!
Nearly six years after finalizing her divorce from Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner sets the record straight on the demise of their relationship and more
OUR LIFE ON THE OKLAHOMA Ranch
Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton share special moments from their \"happy place\"
William's 'Mistress' Breaks Her Silence
For years, rumors have swirled that Prince William cheated on Princess Kate with Rose Hanbury now she's telling her side of the story
Gwyneth's BRIDEZILLA BEHAVIOR
Here comes the...ex-wife? Gwyneth Paltrow is so determined to help Chris Martin and his fiancée, Dakota Johnson, plan the perfect wedding that she’s inadvertently taken all the fun out of the process.
Megan & MGK: IT'S COMPLICATED!
Are they or aren’t they? On Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy podcast, Megan Fox opened up about her roller-coaster romance with Machine Gun Kelly.
A Baby on the Way for Kate?
All signs point to Kate Hudson and Danny Fujikawa expanding their brood!
MEGHAN VS. JOANNA
They're both hard-working brunettes who keep a stylish chicken coop, embrace the modern farmhouse style and are married to goofy gingers with wild pasts.
WILLIAM & KATE ON THE ROCKS!
Talking divorce as Charles fights to save marriage & the monarchy
MEGAN FOX Reveals Her Plastic Surgery
Over the years there’s been speculation about Megan Fox’s changing appearance. During a recent episode of the podcast Call Her Daddy, the actress, 37, told listeners about her nips and tucks.
BELLA HADID Moves to Texas for New Man
Things are heating up between Bella Hadid and her boyfriend of over five months, cowboy Adan Banuelos.