The 3 Secrets to Making Friends on the Road (or Anywhere!)

I have been traveling solo in my 17 foot Casita Travel Trailer for almost 4 months now. I left my community, family and friends behind in Denver to go on this epic life adventure. Would I be lonely? Would I meet people? How would I get my social needs met?

I have a pretty even balance of introvert and extrovert, with a slight leaning towards introvert... I must have solitude and alone time to ground and regenerate my energy. But what about my need for connection, community and meaningful conversation? I've discovered what works for me... and more importantly, what my purpose and goal is in engaging with others out in the world.

The Secret? 

...staying open to possibilities, being present to the moment, and most importantly, having a willingness to connect and join with another human from a place of curiosity, kindness, and acceptance.

1. Staying Open To Possibilities

I am (almost) always open to any possibility to engage with another. Since I never know when an opportunity may arise, I am intentional in leaving my heart open and being energetically inviting. I may feel inspired or moved to say something to someone I come across... or I try to remain aware of others initiating or reaching out to me.

2. Being Present To the Moment

Once a connection has been established, I put aside any thoughts or activities that I was engaged in, face the person, make eye contact, and give them my full and complete attention. I know that any interaction I have may last only a few moments, so I don't want to miss any opportunity to interact in a loving way.

3. Having the Willingness To Join

Most important of all is my willingness and commitment to see the sameness and commonality that joins me with all human beings everywhere! We all know how different we can be, but aside from the social conditioning we have received that constantly points out our differences (in often very judgmental ways), we are all far more the same than we are different! 

We all want to feel happy and safe. We all have people and/or pets in our life that we love. We all desire to be heard and acknowledged. We all want to be forgiven for our mistakes and to be treated with kindness and compassion.

 My purpose and my mission (I have come to discover) is to focus on how I am the same as you. No matter how different we may think or believe, no matter how different our life circumstances are, no matter how differently we perceive the world, we are capable of finding ways to join in our oneness and overlook our differences.

I do this by being kind. I do this by being curious and interested in who you are. I do this by accepting you for who you are and not judging you. I do this by not taking things personally.

That is how we will heal humanity and create peace on earth. I cannot fix or control the insanity we all witness on this planet, but I can heal it in myself, cultivate my own peace, and then demonstrate and extend that into the world around me.

Will you join me in focusing on Unity? Will you join me in not automatically judging what we perceive as "wrong" or "different" in another? Will you join me in finding what we have in common? When we are judging or comparing ourselves to others, we are only hurting ourselves. We are free to choose what we focus on and miraculously shift the resulting reality we have in this human experience we call life.

That's how I make friends on the road! :)))