BECOMING A LOUDER GIRL: Strengthen Your Circle

The Power of Lifelong Sisterhood

I have a gaggle of girlfriends I’ve known since we were freshmen in high school. That’s nearly 50 years of friendship (some of us even go back to junior high).

Over the decades, we’ve been through:

• First loves, slumber parties, sneaking out, and driving before getting a driver’s license.
• Weddings, baby showers, and milestone birthdays — 30, 40, 50, and 60.
  
• Supporting each other through cancer, divorces, mental health struggles, and raising kids (and letting them go).
• Funerals, high school reunions, and girl trips like cabins in Idyllwild and Julian, beach houses in Mission Beach and Coronado, and the unforgettable Vegas 40th birthday trip.

In our mid-20s, we started a monthly dinner tradition. Back then, ten of us juggled kids, careers, and chaos but we made that time sacred.

Today, there are five of us still standing strong, “sisters from other misters.”

Here’s to more dinners, celebrations, and adventures still to come.

Strengthen Your Circle

Last week’s blog focused on surrendering to the fall season and slowing down, preparing for rest, and practicing radical self-devotion.

But fall is also the perfect time to “Strengthen Your Circle.” It’s the season to re-evaluate, nurture, and deepen relationships with family, friends, and community.

And it’s more important than ever to connect and reconnect. Why? Because, Sisters, we’re in the heart of a loneliness epidemic.

According to The Roots of Loneliness Project, loneliness is “a feeling, an emotion, and perception of a general sense of lacking connection or belonging, while also desiring more connection with others than one has.”

In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General warned that loneliness can harm our health as much as smoking or obesity, increasing risks for:

• Heart disease
• Dementia
• Anxiety
• Premature death

What’s Contributing to Our Disconnection?

Here are a few of the biggest culprits:

1. Social participation:
   • Between 2003 and 2020, time with friends dropped by 20 hours/month.
   • Meanwhile, time spent alone increased by 24 hours/month.
2. Technology and social media:
   • Scrolling through perfect images can leave us feeling disconnected and inadequate.
   • Social media can replace real connections and amplify comparison and exclusion.

3. Cultural and societal norms:
   • The U.S. was built on individualism, “the self-made man.”
   • While independence is powerful, it’s also isolating.
   • We’ve undervalued community and emotional interdependence in favor of “getting shit done.”
4. Changes in family structure:
   • More people are living alone and fewer are part of multi-generational households.
5. The COVID-19 pandemic:
   • Isolation, closures, and stress strained and weakened many of our connections.
6. Physical environment:
   • Fewer gathering spaces (parks, libraries, walkable neighborhoods).
   • Transportation barriers and lack of safe places to meet make connection harder.

The Good News: We Can Reconnect

The loneliness epidemic is real, and we have the power to change it.
Fall is the perfect time to slow down, reach out, and reconnect with others and ourselves.

Here are some intentional ways to strengthen your circle:

Outdoor Activities

• Build a bonfire and make s’mores while sharing stories.

• Take a scenic drive or hike to enjoy the fall foliage.
• Go apple picking and use your harvest for a group baking session.

Indoor Activities

• Host a movie night with blankets, hot cocoa, and favorite Halloween films.
• Organize a Friendsgiving potluck where everyone brings a seasonal dish.
• Plan a game night for laughter and friendly competition.

Community-Building & Volunteering

• Organize a coat, scarf, or food drive.
• Rake leaves for a neighbor who could use a hand.
  
• Volunteer for a park or beach cleanup.

Reconnect with Yourself

• Take a daily pause to breathe in the crisp air and reflect on what matters most.
• Plan a weekend getaway with a loved one.
• Start a gratitude journal and honor what’s good and who’s by your side.
  

Ready to Get LOUDER, Girl?

If you’re ready to take care of yourself and strengthen your circle through storytelling, here are two ways:

1. Join the next FREE immersive LOUDER GIRL Webinar:

BECOMING A LOUDER GIRL: Surrender to the Season & Strengthen Your Circle
Date: October 23rd
Time: 4–5 PM Pacific
RSVP: loudergirl.com/webinar
You’ll walk away with new clarity, peace, and acceptance.

2. HEROINE RISING: A 6-Week Live Workshop

Are you ready to take up space unapologetically, speak your truth with confidence, and rise surrounded by women who will uplift and celebrate you?

Together, we will:

• Quiet the inner critic
• Release limiting beliefs
• Step boldly into our stories

Dates: 2026 Dates TBA
Time: 4–5:30 PM PT
Where: Live on Zoom
Sign up: loudergirl.com/gatherings