Trying to Build Your Circle While Moving Around? Here’s What Actually Works
3-4 minute read
For most of my adult life, I’ve been the kind of person who would jump on a plane or drive six hours to see a friend. Community mattered, and I never let geography get in the way.
But something shifted after I became a mom.
Suddenly, those long trips became more complicated, and for the first time, I realized I needed to build something closer to home. I started trying to find local friends. People, I could grab coffee with or see midweek without needing a whole itinerary.
And honestly? It was hard.
At first, it felt easier to fly across the country to see my long-time people than to awkwardly try to make new friends in my own neighborhood.
But over time, I discovered that it doesn’t have to be either-or. There’s magic in having both.
What Travel Taught Me About Community
Last year, while in Croatia with family, we had a sudden emergency, someone got hurt, and the situation could have spiraled into panic. But what happened next stopped me in my tracks: the locals showed up for us. Strangers stepped in to help us get to the hospital. People who didn’t know us showed care, support, and kindness without hesitation.
It reminded me that connection is universal. That you don’t have to know someone for years to feel seen. That when things get hard, people are often more willing to show up than we expect.
And that maybe how we build community matters more than where we build it.
So, How Do You Stay Connected While Always Moving?
I get asked this all the time. “How do you feel grounded when you’re always in a new city or country?”
Here’s my answer: you have to create consistent touchpoints.
For me, it’s the Modern Round Table, a weekly virtual gathering I host with a core group of women who meet no matter where we are in the world. Knowing I have those faces to see each week gives me the same sense of connection I used to get from walking into an office.
It’s not about being in the same physical space. It’s about being intentional.
You can absolutely build deep, meaningful relationships while living a mobile lifestyle, but only if you’re willing to invest in the right ones. Ones that are reciprocal, consistent, and energizing.
The Truth: Not Everyone Will Make the Cut
One of the most surprising things about traveling while trying to build community is this: not every connection will be worth keeping.
When your time and energy are limited, you learn quickly who you want to check in with and who checks in with you.
It's a natural filter.
And that’s not a bad thing. It makes the relationships you do nurture that much more meaningful.
What Works
If you’re constantly on the move, working remotely, or just in a life season where "settled" feels like a foreign word, here’s what’s worked for me:
Pick one consistent space for connection (even if it’s virtual). Bonus points if it brings new people into your orbit.
Stop trying to force local friendships that don’t feel aligned. Instead, nurture a few strong ones, wherever they are.
Invest where the energy flows both ways. If you’re always the one reaching out, it may be time to release that connection.
Be open to help and kindness from strangers. You might be surprised by how community can show up in unexpected ways.
You don’t need to have a permanent address to feel at home.
You just need to feel seen.
And that starts with choosing a connection, on purpose.
Looking to build your circle with women who get it?
Come pull up a (virtual) chair at the Modern Round Table. We’re growing a community of women who are creating bold lives and real friendships wherever they go.
See you at the next Round Table. 💫
Xo,
Danielle Victoriah
