There is something special about an old friend.  The familiarity.  The shared experiences. The trust. The acceptance.

Old friends are there when you need them most.  You can count on them when life is hard.  They can become just like family.

We all need those friends. I place tremendous value on my own personal Circle of Trust.

It is also important to consider that old friends rely on the same things you rely on in those relationships.  The shared experiences.  The familiarity.

So, when you embark on BIG change and embrace what is next and new it can be a bit unsettling for old friends (and family).  While well intentioned, they simply may not understand. While they care, it may be hard for them to lend unconditional support.  They may even be more inclined to hold on.  You have to make sure nothing holds you back.

That is why it may be important to embrace the opportunity to make new friends, who perhaps more easily align with your transformation.  New friends don’t have any attachment to the past.  They often are quick to champion the person you are becoming and join the reinvention campaign.  Collecting a few new friends on your journey is invaluable, even for the very experience of what cultivating a new, meaningful relationship teaches us.

I am looking forward to dinner this evening with two new friends. 30 months ago I hardly knew them.  Today it is doubtful a week goes by without a touch base for updates and mutual support.  This dinner will definitely count as one of my 3 ‘meaningful meetings‘ this week but it will also matter so much more.  These two have joined my journey and I have no doubt tonight’s conversation will serve as a catalyst for collaboration, change, opportunity and impact.

I suppose making new friends isn’t always easy.  It doesn’t always work out.  It takes an investment of time.  Being open.  A little risk.  A shift in the routine. A willingness to listen and learn.

I recently read that “the difference between who you are today and who you will be two years from now is based largely on the people you meet and the books you read.”

Powerful.  The questions:

What are you reading?  Who are you meeting?

Change is hard work. It is worth the effort.  We can all get by with a little help from our friends.