Finding a new (real life) community

bluecanary

Speaking to ex-JWs, many of you have joined another form of Christianity and no doubt found fellowship in a church. For those that are no longer Christians, have you found another community of people (in person, not online)?

I am extremely introverted. It takes me a great deal of energy to be around people, but I do get some benefit from it and like to think others benefit from my company as well. As a Witness I hated meetings and field service but was regular because I believed in it. This forced me to be around people and have a community to draw upon for companionship.

Now, being in a relatively new town, and being so introverted, I'm having trouble finding a group to belong to. I do practice a sort of agnostic Buddhism but there's not much of a Buddhist following where I am. I don't have any hobbies that I follow rigorously enough to be interested in for more than a week or two.

So I'm just looking for inspiration. Where do you turn to for a sense of community now?

BabaYaga

Going back to school and taking a class or two is a great start.

Also, volunteer to help with non-profit organizations you admire. You'll immediately have something in common with those folks as a shared interest in the cause.

jamiebowers

Look into joining the Kiwanis, Lions, Optimist or Rotary Clubs. They are desperate for younger members.

Can you post the area in which you live? Maybe you'll find a JWN member in your own back yard. If you live in NE Ohio, that would be me, and I'm always up for company. I'll talk your ear off.

Lucky Calamity

I found joining a low-key (non-competitive) hiking group to be helpful . . . I also have a lot of online groups I keep meaning to join in the real world . . . going to school and getting involved in SGA and school-related volunteer opps was great, too.

HintOfLime

I'm a member of a few local groups on meetup.com - A skeptics group and a local "adventure club" (hiking, scuba diving, etc.). It has been a great way to make new social connections.

- Lime

Scully

I made friends through work and through my kids' friends' family members. When the kids were smaller, and wanted to help out at school, we would bake something for the bake sales, or help out with other fund-raising activities.

I also started going to fitness classes and took up some crafts (like knitting and crochet) where weekly "stitch-n-bitch" evenings are offered at the local shops. The nearby grocery store offers free cooking lessons once a week, where a professional chef demonstrates a recipe and you get to try it out at the end of the lesson.

There are so many different ways you can meet people with similar interests in your community - the trick is to try different things and find something you enjoy.

Finally-Free

I didn't really find any friends among the JWs, so my 20 years in the cult forced me to be content with my own company. Since I left I spend most of my spare time at home hanging out with my bird. Spending too much time with people grates on my nerves.

W