Why coming to a Cool Girls Club event by yourself might just change your life

For most of my adult life I’ve battled with crippling social anxiety. The idea of walking into a room full of strangers was enough to send me spiralling. I would picture every possible scenario where I wouldn’t fit in, where I’d have nothing to say, or where I’d end up standing awkwardly on the sidelines wishing I was invisible.

What I’ve come to learn though is that showing up, even when every part of me wanted to hide, was the exact thing I needed. Cool Girls Club started as a way to build the kind of environment I always wished existed, one that felt supportive, welcoming and judgement free. But if I’m completely honest, it was also a way to force myself to be more social. Creating this community meant I couldn’t keep hiding, and in the process I’ve made some of the most beautiful connections of my life.

Making new friends as an adult is hard. In your 20s and 30s, you’re still figuring out who you are and what matters to you, and it can feel like everyone else already has their circles set. If you’re not a local to the place you’re living, that difficulty is amplified. It’s easy to feel on the outside, unsure of how to bridge the gap between acquaintances and genuine connection.

And this is why I believe so strongly in the power of showing up solo. Why coming to a Cool Girls Club event by yourself might just change your life is because it asks you to do the hardest thing first, to take that first step onto the trail when the path ahead feels unknown. From there, everything becomes easier. I see it at every CGC event. Women arrive nervously on their own and leave with new friends, numbers swapped and plans to meet again. When everyone shows up for the same reason, to connect and share an adventure, the walls come down quicker than you’d expect.

Looking after our social health is just as important as caring for our physical or mental health. Strong connections make us happier, calmer and more resilient. By choosing to show up by yourself, you’re not only proving you can do it, you’re giving yourself the chance to belong in new ways.

I know how intimidating it can feel to walk in without a friend by your side. That’s why it matters so much to me that CGC feels like a safe space, where no one is left standing on the edge.

For me, creating Cool Girls Club was that life changing step. For you, it might simply be showing up to one of our events on your own. Why coming by yourself might just change your life is because it reminds you that you were never really alone to begin with.