A question about friends.

[Lieby]

I'm a friendly, fun (I think) person, chatty, interested in others etc. Jeez-good start, that sounds nauseating. The question is, I've poured all of my focus and energy into my children and home life for the last 15 yrs or so, and consequently feel the real lack of a squad. I do have some friends, but not loads, and would really love to have more. This sounds so lame on reading, and honestly, I'm not at all. No one would ever realise from the outside that I frequently feel pretty lonely. Are there any others out there who feel similar?

I think this is more common than you might think, there are a number of threads recently with people expressing the same feeling. I find a lack of emotional energy holds me back, after work and home life I've just about got enough for me. But I would think about joining a course that I was interested in in the hope like minded people would too.

Are you me? I've been feeling really low about this exact thing. Dc are 18 & 15, they don't want to do anything with me or seem to even like me much. I've spent 18yrs putting my all in to being a mum and now I'm at a bit of a loss. I need a life of my own & friends. I don't know where to start.

Also, the time-after work, house and family stuff, exercise etc, I'm knackered. How do others manage to maintain contact so seemingly well?