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Dear <<First Name>>,
I am moving to Northern Kentucky/Cincinnati area with my long-time boyfriend (now husband), Steve!  He has been "wooed" by a large international company to work on their Oracle Database System. We got married in a quiet ceremony at a friend's home a few weeks ago before the big move. Together, we have two homes to sell and a lot of cleaning out, and downsizing to do....... clearly not one of my strengths! We will be living in an apartment for the next year as I continue to commute back and forth from Carmel to Hebron, KY.
I see this as an opportunity for expansion; not leaving the Indianapolis community of dear friends, colleagues, clients, students and fellow musicians but expanding my circle of influence and connection. I will continue to take on new clients, lead group coaching classes and teach a few piano students over the next 9 months while I get my home ready to put on the market!
It may seem odd that in the midst of my personal joy and excitement that I would be drawn to the topic of loneliness. What I have come to understand, has set me on fire to help others heed the warning signs that "you have strayed too far from the herd" and are at risk. I am passionate about helping people create strong social connections and a high level of engagement at work. Everyone wants to find meaning in life through positive interactions and relief from the social and physical effects of loneliness and disengagement.
"Our time has been called the "age of loneliness." It's estimated that one in five Americans suffers from persistent loneliness, and while we're more connected than ever before, social media may actually be exacerbating the problem." The Huffington Post: "Why Loneliness is a growing health concern and what we can do about it" by Carolyn Gregoire
I wrote an article a few weeks ago that highlights my intial findings and thoughts on the subject.
Loneliness is a feeling.
“discrepancies between ideal and perceived interpersonal relationships produce and maintain feelings of loneliness.” from “Loneliness” by John T. Cacioppo & Louise C. Hawkley “
This transition for me is one of excitement and anticipation coupled with sadness and a fear of loneliness. I don't know a stranger so it might appear to others that I would never experience loneliness. However, I love to connect with others and my need for interaction is very high. I feel lonely much more quickly than you might think.
I am going to look at this experience as a research project! I would appreciate your help! I invite you, (with confident vulnerability), to openly discuss loneliness and how it impacts our lives. I am on a mission to help people discover that admitting you are lonely, even when you are surrounded by people you love and engaged in meaningful work is OK and normal. What you do about it is what I would like to hear about. Share your story with me! I would like to collect stories and put them together in a publication that will help others!
Thank you for sharing this new adventure with me! I value our friendship and hope that this newsletter will only be a small part of the way we remain connected.
Most sincerely,
Jennifer
Upcoming Events!
 Tuned In Tuesday, 7 pm on September 29th at my home! Come and celebrate Steve's success and our new adventure! RSVP through Evnetbrite! As always, bring a snack or drink and a smile to share!
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