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Suzanne Oshima

Hi, I’m Suzanne...I help women make new connections, build genuine friendships and thrive in midlife together. Because life is better with friends by your side.

Suzanne Oshima, Life Coach for Women Over 50, discussing making friends from meetup groups
Featured Post

is there an easier way?

Hi Reader... Have you ever connected with someone in a new group you joined and thought... I would love to be friends with her. So you take the chance and ask her to get together...just the two of you, outside the group. And she says, "Yes, I'd love to." But then she leaves it all up to you to plan it. Which makes you wonder if she's really interested in getting together. If that sounds familiar, you're not alone. That's exactly what today's Dear Suzanne is about... Dear Suzanne, I reach out...

Friendships in midlife take time.

Hi Reader... Have you ever really hit it off with someone, exchanged numbers… And then never heard from them again? That happened to me over two years ago. I met Melanie at a lunch with some friends visiting from NYC…and we clicked right away. Later, I texted her… "It was so great meeting you…if you ever want to grab lunch, let me know!" She wrote back…"Yes, let's get together soon!" And then…nothing. Never heard from her again. I didn’t think twice about it. I just let it go. Fast forward to...

Suzanne Oshima, Life Coach for Women Over 50, on what to say to a friend who won't commit to plans

Hi Reader... You made plans with a friend to get together next week… Or at least you thought you did. Because instead of "great, see you then," she said… “Let's touch base closer to the date…” She didn't cancel on you. But that's the part nobody understands. Now you feel like it’s not a real plan…it’s something that may or may not happen… And you’re left hanging… Which is the exact frustration one woman wrote to me about. Here's her letter... Dear Suzanne, I have a situation where once we set...

Loneliness after divorce how to make new friends.

Hi Reader... Has this ever happened to you... You spent years giving everything to your husband and kids…and somehow your needs got put on the back burner. And then you woke up one day...and life as you knew it, completely changed. Here's the email a woman in our community sent me…Dear Suzanne, Almost 30 years ago, my husband wanted to move from New York to North Carolina. I just had a baby three months prior, and I didn't want to leave my family, friends, and job…but I made the sacrifice for...

A woman being left out by friends feeling sad

Hi Reader... I’m so excited…today is the launch of my new video series, Dear Suzanne… You wrote in about your friendship situations…and now I'm answering them, one video at a time. Kind of like a "Dear Abby"…but for us. And the first one is from someone who’s dealing with a tough situation. Here's the gist… She went out of her way to welcome a new woman in town. She even introduced her to her own circle of friends. But then something happened she never saw coming… The new friend started...

Women in midlife comforting a friend, showing what real support in midlife looks like

Hi Reader... I don't know about you...but nobody warned me about this part of midlife… An injury. A surgery you didn't plan on. A couple of weeks ago, I texted my cousin. I asked her if she'd ever had a knee replacement. Because I found out I might need one. And I wanted to hear how it went…what to expect…anything I should know. As it turns out, she never had one. But here's what she texted me back… "When you have your surgery I'll come stay with you and help you, until you can manage on your...

Woman in midlife smiling and talking with a new friend, showing how to make friends as an adult

Hi Reader... Yesterday, I was on the phone with a close friend. She was telling me about her daughter…who's in her 20s and having a really hard time making new friends. My friend asked me… "How do you do it? You make new friends everywhere you go." And honestly…I had to stop and think about it for a second. Because it's not something I plan. But here's what I told her… I talk to everyone and anyone. Wherever I am. Whether it’s at the grocery store. Waiting to board a plane. Standing in line...

Midlife Friendships - Two women friends

Hi Reader... A couple of weeks ago, I was wrapping up a fun summer vacation in NY. A girls' beach trip out to Montauk...then a few days in New York City. I was really looking forward to the last few days of the trip...catching up with girlfriends, good food and great conversations. At least…that was my plan. But the next morning...I woke up sicker than sick. Coughing. Chills. A fever. Normally I'd just shrug it off as the flu. But not this time. There was a legionnaire's outbreak spreading...

Making a new friend at a bar

Hi Reader... I had just landed in NYC…super excited and ready for a fun vacation. After I got settled into my hotel...I was starving. I looked in the mirror. Disheveled hair. Yoga pants. Flip flops. I thought about just ordering take-out… But changed my mind, because I wanted good Italian food. Besides I thought…who’s going to see me? When I got to the restaurant it was packed. There was one empty seat at the bar, right between a man and a woman. The man was there with a friend. The woman was...

Two friends in midlife having lunch together.

Hi Reader... My old college roommate and I get together every so often. Just to catch up. Lunch. Dinner. There's just one little problem. She always brings her husband. Now don't get me wrong...I like her husband. But when he comes, the dynamic changes. We can't really have girl talk. You know what I mean. No deep catching up. No sharing secrets. And I always end up wishing we had some one-on-one time. Here's the thing... I never knew how to ask for it to be...just the two of us. Because how...