Building a Different Kind of Network
Finding support, friendship, and connection beyond the workplace in your next season
By Christine Furstoss, MyNextSeason Advisor and Former VP & Chief Technology Officer, GE
Beyond Professional Connections
Building networks is a purposeful and significant activity for many professionals. Networks, both inside and outside an organization, create opportunities, cultivate champions, and provide mentorship, advice, and support. My network relationships were invaluable throughout my career.
As we prepare for retirement, we often focus on financial readiness, healthcare, travel plans, or the activities we hope to pursue. What receives less attention is a simple but important question: Who are the people you will turn to when you need encouragement, perspective, companionship, or support?
For me, answering that question has become an important part of navigating my next season. It is the recognition that I needed a different type of network … an emotional support network.
A Small Circle of Support
Not everyone’s support network looks the same. Some people have a spouse or partner. Others rely on siblings, adult children, lifelong friends, neighbors, or former colleagues. Even for those in strong relationships, I have found that no single person can meet every emotional support need. Our professional networks were diverse, so why should we believe that one person can meet every need in our next season? What matters most is not the size of your network, but the depth of the relationships within it.
During my career, I was surrounded by people every day. Retirement has shown me that a handful of meaningful relationships can provide something far more valuable than a long list of contacts. When I spent time purposefully thinking about who should be in my emotional support network, I identified those who knew my history, understood my personality, and could help me navigate the challenges and opportunities that come during this stage of life. What I found was that some of those relationships already existed. I simply needed to make room for them again.
Reconnecting With Old Friends
Today, an important member of my support network is someone who I grew up with. For years, we had simply drifted apart as careers, families, and responsibilities took center stage. Around a milestone birthday, I sent her a text and shared a memory from years ago. She responded almost immediately, and before long we were in touch on a regular basis.
Now we not only share emotions as we age and our family dynamics change but also reminisce and laugh at childhood memories. She has become an important part of my support network. Our shared history keeps me grounded, and our friendship has come full circle—we once again find ourselves confiding in one another as we navigate life’s next chapter.
I had a similar experience with another friend. She, along with her spouse, were close collegiate friends with my husband. We had always enjoyed each other’s company but had never been especially close. One day, I reached out and asked if she would like to have a spa day with me.
During the day, we talked about our families, our increasing need for time for ourselves, and our personal priorities as we went into our next seasons. That simple invitation became the beginning of a much deeper friendship. She has become an invaluable part of my support network, offering encouragement and providing a trusted sounding board whenever I feel frustrated or simply need to share my thoughts with someone outside my family.
Those experiences reminded me how easy it is to let the passage of time falsely convince us that a relationship belongs in the past. More often than not, the connection is still there, simply waiting for someone to take the first step. A memory, a birthday, a phone call, or an invitation to spend time together can reopen a door that was never fully closed.
Not every outreach will lead to a lasting relationship, and that’s okay. The goal is not to rebuild your entire social circle but rather to build a support network that can provide perspective, encouragement, and guidance.
Different People Hold Different Parts of Our Story
One of the things I’ve come to appreciate is that each relationship serves a different purpose. As our lives evolve, so do the people we rely on, often in ways we never could have anticipated.
Every month, I have lunch with my former executive assistant. Few people witnessed as much of my professional journey as she did, and our conversations often bring back memories that might otherwise be forgotten.
We talk about challenges, successes, and moments that helped shape my career. Those conversations remind me how much of that experience remains a part of who I am today and help me discern what pieces I want as part of my next season.
Other network relationships connect me to different chapters of my life. Some knew me long before my career began. Others know me primarily through family, community, or shared interests. Taken together, these relationships provide something I never could have found in a single person. They help me stay connected to the many experiences, roles, and relationships that have shaped my life.
That has become one of the unexpected gifts of retirement. With fewer demands competing for my attention, I have more time to invest in the people who matter and a greater appreciation for the unique role each person plays in my life.
Investing in What Matters
Five years into retirement, my relationships are still evolving. Some friendships have deepened. Some old connections have been renewed. Others have emerged from places I never expected.
While my spouse remains the cornerstone of my support network, I am excited to build and strengthen new relationships. Embracing a network rather than relying on a single person not only eases the pressure on any one relationship but also enriches my identity and broadens my experiences.
Preparing for a new season of life is about more than deciding what you will do—it is about deciding who you will become and who you want beside you along the way. While many people focus on activities when planning for retirement, I encourage them to invest just as intentionally in building the relationships that will enhance that journey.
The people who support and enrich us in retirement may not be the same people who filled our calendars during our careers. Yet they often become some of our most important relationships—people who know our history, understand our journey, and remind us that our identity extends far beyond any title.
