The Gift of Friendships

posted in: Community, Mindfulness | 1

July 30 is International Day of Friendship. It’s a great day to spend time with your closest friends, whether that’s in person, on a video call or on the phone. You might reconnect with old friends and reach out to a new friend too.

Since I moved recently, maintaining my friendships is more important, and more challenging, than ever. I know that long-distance and long-lasting friendships take some nurturing, and that’s part of the fun! As I thought about the different ways to tend to these relationships, it set my mental wheels in motion. Try some of these ideas to strengthen your important relationships:

Stay in touch.
Call, email, or (my favorite) send an old-fashioned snail mail letter or card. Let them know you’re thinking of them. Think about what your friend needs right now. What challenges are they facing? How can you help? Let them know you’re available and concerned.

Avoid judging.
You won’t approve of anyone 100% of the time, not even yourself. Your friend will make choices you don’t agree with, and that’s okay. They don’t approve of everything you do, either. Give your advice when asked and be supportive.

Spend time together.
Friendships need time and attention to thrive. That may mean via Zoom or just one of those long, catch up phone calls. Use all the tools technology has to offer. When do you have time this week to spend time with the friends that mean the most to you?

Take on a challenge together.
You become closer to those you suffer with. This is one of the reasons military buddies tend to have such strong relationships. Even in long distance friendships, you can do virtual challenges such as walking, yoga or other exercise together.

Road trip!
This is probably my favorite. Yes, road trips can be challenging when you’re cooped up in a car together for hours at a time. And they can be a wonderful adventure full of unexpected gifts. Climb in the car and take a trip to a new place together. You’ll create plenty of memories and have all the time in the world to chat and share.

Try new things together.
Create a bucket list together and start checking off the experiences. It’s a great way to strengthen your friendships.

Take a self-inventory
Ask yourself what you can do to be a better friend. Could you be more patient? More available? Less self-centered? Take a look at yourself and try out some positive changes.

How many friends have you lost track of over the years? How many of your friendships are weaker than they used to be? Unless you’ve intentionally tried to strengthen your friendships, they’re not as strong as they could be.

As for me, I can easily replace the word “you” with “I” in this article. I have not always been as mindful in my relationships as I want to be. So while I hope you find some useful information here, it was mostly written for me. In order to be a good friend, I need to nurture and prioritize and do all those things I just mentioned.

  1. JT

    You’re a veteran of several road trips and I imagine you’ve been challenged with many adventures, thinkin’ STL.

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