Have you ever felt like making friends in midlife is more challenging than untangling your headphones cord after it has been in your pocket for 10 whole minutes?
If you're lucky enough to live in The Woodlands, Texas, fear not! Gone are the days of awkward small talk at charity galas. Enter...The Trybe Women’s Social Club - your golden ticket to friends and fun in midlife.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Whether you’re new to The Woodlands and trying to infiltrate the local social scene, or you’ve been around Waterway Square (more than) a few times and are yearning for something that beats the exhilaration of your current bunco or book club, we’ve got you covered.
And - for those of you who are watching your nests empty out, wondering, "What's next?" - It's time to gear up and get ready because now it's YOUR TURN!
So - Exactly why is The Trybe the best social club in The Woodlands, Texas, you ask?
Stick around, and I promise to spill the tea on The Trybe and precisely how you can leap into this whirlwind of midlife fun and friendship.
And coffee.
Or wine.
We don’t judge here.
What Is a Social Club?
Wikipedia broadly defines a social club as a group of people based around a common interest, activity, or profession. This definition encompasses a wide variety of social clubs, from sports and hobby clubs to professional associations and networking groups.
The Trybe Women's Social Club defines itself as a community of women, bonded around a shared set of core values, in which every member feels seen, that they belong and that they have a chance to both grow as well as to contribute meaningfully.
In my articles, cleverly named "What is a Social Club," and “Women’s Social Clubs”, I provide detailed information about several aspects of social clubs including their history, types of clubs, characteristics of a healthy social club and so on.
I’ve also previously written articles about the benefits of joining a social club and some great reasons to start your own social club.
What Is The Trybe Women’s Social Club in The Woodlands?
I'm getting ahead of myself. We haven't even met yet.
Hey there! I'm Angela Caveney.
My “day job” is as a Clinical Psychologist and Neuropsychologist...but groups of people have always been my "thing".
I have created and led groups of people consistently throughout my life, since founding the Why Be Normal Club in 7th grade. (Nope, we definitely weren’t cool…and we were ok with that.)
Flash forward to January 2022.
As we all collectively blinked the COVID cobwebs out of our eyes and ventured timidly back into the light, I created The Trybe Women’s Social Club in The Woodlands as a social life raft for those of us who had become semi-professional hermits.
There are, of course, many clubs in The Woodlands, including a variety of social clubs, but I designed The Trybe to stand out in the crowd.
Our guiding principle, “Trybe New Things,” encapsulates our ethos.
With open minds and new friends, we dive headfirst into exploring novel experiences, learning and expanding our worlds further with each new adventure.
What further distinguishes The Trybe from other Woodlands clubs is our unwavering commitment to our foundational values: Connection, Growth, and Impact.
Together, we forge strong bonds as we evolve through our shared experiences. All the while, having a positive impact on each other’s lives, our own personal growth, and the local businesses we support through our activities and events.
Who Joins The Trybe Social Club in The Woodlands?
Since its inception, The Trybe has grown from a few dozen members to over 500 local women, comprising an eclectic mix from nearly every conceivable life path. From retired CIA agents to womb healers - accountants to yoga instructors.
You have never met a more friendly and open group of people. Newcomers often comment on the "vibe" of our events because it is truly unique from other clubs in The Woodlands (and anywhere else for that matter).
How often do you attend an event where every single woman is there because she’s actively looking for new friendships?
We don’t do cliques.
We also don’t focus on things DIVIDE us.
No politics here. No religion either…unless we’re learning something new from…say…a Buddhist Monk, A Shaman or a Wiccan.
There's a time and a place for such conversations, but The Trybe provides members a much needed BREAK from all of this.
We prefer to focus on the (SO MANY MORE) ways we are all similar as women in midlife supporting each other through this "charming" phase of our lives with all the transitions that go along with it.
Are there other Woodlands clubs where you can find a Christian, an atheist and a medicine woman swapping tales and advice on conquering menopause or the bittersweet emotions of new empty nesting?
Maybe there are.
But I haven't found them yet.
Specific Reasons Members Give For Joining The Trybe Women’s Social Club in The Woodlands
Of course no 2 stories are the same, but these are the MOST common general reasons women join The Trybe.
Empty Nesters
Our members’ ages range from 21 to 86, but ~75% of The Trybe’s members are in their 50s.
85% of The Trybe’s Members are empty nesters (or soon to be empty nesters).
Now that kids are more independent, many women in midlife are looking for fun, sparkly new passions and people to enjoy them with. I feel confident in saying that The Trybe is the best club in The Woodlands for empty nesting women because, simply put, it’s WHO WE ARE.
Since topic of empty nesting is hotter than a summer sidewalk in Texas, I have written several articles about it including a comprehensive review of empty nest syndrome, quotes about empty nesting, a fantastic list of 179 activities for empty nesters, a guide for empty nest single moms, help for empty nesters in need of friendship and tips to reinvent yourself as an empty nester.
New to The Woodlands
Many women who join The Trybe are new to The Woodlands. As we all know, it’s challenging to meet new friends when you move and clubs in The Woodlands such as The Trybe can really jump start your efforts by providing an instant posse.
Business Owners in or Near The Woodlands
Although The Trybe is NOT a business networking club, (there are many other clubs in The Woodlands for this) over 120 local business owners have found their way to us.
A Venn diagram of business owners’ reasons for joining The Trybe would show two main, somewhat overlapping categories.
First.
Many entrepreneurs are so entrenched in their business ventures that the concepts of friendship and fun seem like relics of a bygone era.
In many cases, if their social lives haven't completely atrophied, they have become highly myopic. (One of our law firm owning members once exclaimed, “I don’t have any friends who aren’t lawyers!”)
The Trybe provides exactly what they’re looking for.
Second.
Other business owners have cleverly realized that because The Trybe is intentionally and staunchly NOT a business networking group, it’s actually (truly accidentally - and IMHO) the best business networking club in The Woodlands.
As every entrepreneur knows, people want to "do business" with those they know, like and trust. Business networking is all about relationships. Cultivating relationships is at the heart of what we do.
Newly Retired, Divorced, Widowed (i.e., In "Transition")
Midlife is all about transition. From aging parents to career changes - from relationship shifts to body...uhm...shifts.
As pioneering psychologist Carl Jung pointed out in the early 20th century, there are no institutions to ease us into and support us through the myriad of midlife transitions, as there are with our transition into adulthood.
Why is that?
One of my favorite midlife gurus, Chip Connley, created The Modern Elder Academy (MEA) to help address this gap.
Academy’s such as MEA are a fantastic start. They are a great place to take a deep dive, to learn and to reflect on life already lived and life yet to come.
Clubs such as The Trybe Women’s Social Club provide structure and ongoing support for women...not just for an inspiring a week or two, but in every day life.
I'm not aware of any other Woodlands clubs that have been intentionally and carefully curated to provide constant support to women specifically through common transitions in midlife.
Looking for a New Friend Group
As can be true anywhere in The World, many clubs in The Woodlands are posh, cliquey, drama laden and include their fair shares of toxic people who may not have others' best interests at heart.
The Trybe is decidedly the opposite of all of these things. Yes, we have members in the highest tax brackets (impossible to avoid in a place like The Woodlands), but the difference with us is…you wouldn’t know it.
We are REAL.
We are anti-clique.
We don’t tolerate drama or mean-girling.
Amazingly...I very rarely have to remind anyone of this.
The drama queens and the mean girls do find us, but they quickly realize that we are not their people - and they weed themselves out.
Introverts
It might surprise you, but The Trybe is a great club in The Woodlands for introverts to make friends.
We keep our events small (it’s hard to truly connect with people in large groups) and we nearly always have some kind of structure to our events, whether it is learning from a speaker, cooking or doing some sort of craft. We like to keep our hands busy and let the conversation flow naturally.
Just. Plain. Bored.
If you feel like one day just rolls into the next and you can barely remember what you did yesterday, The Trybe is one of the best clubs in The Woodlands to solve this problem.
Whereas most Woodlands clubs have set events and activities that rotate through a schedule, The Trybe presents members with opportunities to do and learn about all kinds of things they’ve never even heard of.
In our first 2 years, The Trybe organized approximately 140 events of more than 100 unique activities! Check out this list of 78 social event ideas to learn about some of the things we’ve already done.
Because finding fun things to do is such an important reason women reach out to us, I've previously written extensively about hobbies in my articles, empty nest hobbies, social hobbies and interesting hobbies for women in midlife.
Is The Trybe Only a Club in The Woodlands?
Until February of 2024, the only option to join The Trybe was in-person and the only Trybe group was the club in The Woodlands.
In February, however, we added on a digital option for those who live elsewhere in the world.
If joining us in-person is inconvenient for you for any reason, here is more information about The Trybe’s Digital Membership.
How Can I Join? How Much Does The Trybe Cost?
Unlike many clubs in The Woodlands, we have both a paid monthly membership, an in-person pay-as-you-go option and a digital membership.
Our Inner Circle Membership is for you if you’re looking for an instant friend group and motivated to put yourself first and level up your relationships and life. As an Inner Circle member, all events and interest based clubs are open to you. Most are free of additional charges.
If you’d like to check us out by dabbling in a few events here and there, simply join our free newsletter and buy tickets for only the events that interest you.
If you are not located in The Woodlands, or if attending events in person is inconvenient or not your preference, The Digital Membership was created for you.
Final Thoughts
The Trybe Women's Social Club in The Woodlands is basically the VIP lounge of midlife sisterhood.
From day one, The Trybe has been on a mission to provide a space where women can connect, share interests and grow together.
Whether you're seeking to engage in a multitude of activities, find support, or just generally spice up your life, The Trybe offers an inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone.
With the addition of a digital membership in February 2024, women from all over the world can now be a part of The Trybe's vibrant community.
Join us and we'll see you on the inside!
About the Author
Angela Caveney, Ph.D. is a Clinical Psychologist, Neuropsychologist and Founder of The Trybe Women's Social Club in The Woodlands, Texas. Her absolute favorite things to do are to help women find their people, rediscover themselves, and thrive throughout midlife. She can be reached directly at angela@the-trybe.com.