MAKING FRIENDS AS an adult can (almost) be harder than it was in high school thanks to our increasingly busy, fragmented schedules. BFF Indy wants to change that by helping women in Central Indiana connect at in-person meetups like book clubs and happy hours. Its latest—and, so far, most popular—offerings are its Weekly Walks, which first launched in downtown Indianapolis as well as Broad Ripple and quickly spread to Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville, Greenwood, and Brownsburg.
“Walking is free and easy to do. It doesn’t take much effort—besides putting yourself out there to meet new people,” BFF Indy founder FrancesMary Loughead says. Every Monday, now through October 26, volunteers lead groups on early evening walks. “When you show up for one of our walks the first time, you don’t have to worry about what to expect,” Loughead points out. “A shared interest in wanting to get outside and enjoy nice weather together is already established.”
While getting exercise is an obvious health benefit, the walks can help participants become mentally and emotionally fit, too. Solid friendships diminish stress. Recent studies show that in-person social interactions can help stave off the cognitive decline that often comes with aging. For Loughead, the relationship component is the primary purpose of the events. “I recently read that one in three people say they feel lonely on a regular basis. While social media offers a way to collect so-called friends, online connections usually lack the depth of real-life relationships,” the Noblesville resident says. Indeed, research has shown that spending hours a day on social media makes a lonely person feel even more isolated. “These weekly walks give women a simple way to show up for each other, strengthening existing friendships while meeting new people and taking in all our area has to offer.”
