Current:Home > ScamsDear Life Kit: How do I get out of my pandemic rut? Michelle Obama weighs in-VaTradeCoin
Dear Life Kit: How do I get out of my pandemic rut? Michelle Obama weighs in
View Date:2025-01-08 16:40:00
Need some really good advice? Look no further than Dear Life Kit. In each episode, we pose one of your most pressing questions to an expert. This question was answered by former first lady Michelle Obama, author of the new memoir, The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
Dear Life Kit,
After being retired for seven years, I'm feeling lost. I have no sense of where I want to go or how to get there. COVID has added to the isolation and distance. I want to volunteer to help but also want to meet new people and I don't know where to start. —Asking for direction
That is a good question. A lot of people these days are feeling isolated and disconnected. My recommendation is start small and be brave enough to step outside of your comfort zone.
Making new friends is interestingly one of the hardest things that we ask ourselves to do — and a lot of people don't like the feeling of rejection. But the only way to make new friends is to get out of your house, find activities, organizations, things that you care about. Start with your passion. I don't care if it's knitting — something I took up over quarantine — or whether it's exercising or being involved in a religious community.
You've got to do the homework. And it starts with looking inside to figure out: What do you care about? What do you want to learn? What do you want to do? Then you've got to sign up. Put yourself out there, engage in the world, walk up to someone new, say hello, invite someone to lunch. It's small things.
In this era of social media, we have gotten out of the habit of making real-life friends. It is uncomfortable, but it's the only way you're going to do it. And trust me, you will feel better having a community around you. So take a risk.
Have a question for Dear Life Kit? Share it anonymously here.
Dear Life Kit is hosted by Andee Tagle and produced by Beck Harlan and Sylvie Dougliswith help from our intern Jamal Michel. Bronson Arcuri is the managing producer and Meghan Keane is the supervising editor. Alicia Zheng produces the Dear Life Kit video series for Instagram.
Love Dear Life Kit? You can catch us on NPR's Instagram in a weekly reel.
veryGood! (36513)
Related
- NBC's hospital sitcom 'St. Denis Medical' might heal you with laughter: Review
- Georgia House Democrats shift toward new leaders after limited election gains
- Businesses at struggling corner where George Floyd was killed sue Minneapolis
- In an AP interview, the next Los Angeles DA says he’ll go after low-level nonviolent crimes
- Benny Blanco Reveals Selena Gomez's Rented Out Botanical Garden for Lavish Date Night
- Jennifer Lopez Gets Loud in Her First Onstage Appearance Amid Ben Affleck Divorce
- Paraguay vs. Argentina live updates: Watch Messi play World Cup qualifying match tonight
- New Pentagon report on UFOs includes hundreds of new incidents but no evidence of aliens
- Powerball winning numbers for Nov. 13 drawing: Jackpot rises to $113 million
- Mike Tyson concedes the role of villain to young foe in 58-year-old’s fight with Jake Paul
Ranking
- Brush fire erupts in Brooklyn's iconic Prospect Park amid prolonged drought
- Democrat Janelle Bynum flips Oregon’s 5th District, will be state’s first Black member of Congress
- South Carolina to take a break from executions for the holidays
- Today Reveals Hoda Kotb's Replacement
- Michelle Obama Is Diving Back into the Dating World—But It’s Not What You Think
- Diamond Sports Group can emerge out of bankruptcy after having reorganization plan approved
- J.Crew Outlet Quietly Drops Their Black Friday Deals - Save Up to 70% off Everything, Styles Start at $12
- Olympic Skier Lindsey Vonn Coming Out of Retirement at 40
Recommendation
-
Stocks soared on news of Trump's election. Bonds sank. Here's why.
-
Surprise bids revive hope for offshore wind in Gulf of Mexico after feds cancel lease sale
-
Mike Tyson is expected to honor late daughter during Jake Paul fight. Here's how.
-
Beyoncé has released lots of new products. Here's a Beyhive gift guide for the holidays
-
How to protect your Social Security number from the Dark Web
-
Martin Scorsese on the saints, faith in filmmaking and what his next movie might be
-
After years of unrest, Commanders have reinvented their culture and shattered expectations
-
Quincy Jones' cause of death revealed: Reports