Friendships are one of the most important things in my life. Without my friends, I don’t know who or where I would be. My friends have gotten me through hard times, picked me up when I didn’t feel strong enough to stand on my own, and laughed with me at the corniest jokes.
While socializing can be hard for some people, for others, it’s their lifeline. Wherever you fall, one thing is certain: you need people in your life to survive.
That’s not just me talking. Research has been done on the benefits of having strong, lasting friendships, and the results are kinda insane. People who have friends are more likely to be mentally and emotionally healthier, and even live longer than those without. Social interaction is something that’s often overlooked as a form of self-care, but is actually pretty dang important.
Make lunch or dinner dates and DON’T CANCEL.
So, how do you maintain friendships with people? If you’re lucky enough to live closely to your friends, make it a priority to hang out with them every few weeks or so! (Or every week or day–whatever your schedule will allow, girl!) Make that friendship a priority, like buying groceries or spending time with your kids. Go explore a park, see a movie together, plan a vacation together–whatever works for you, do it all, girl!!
However, if your friends don’t live close to you, or their schedules don’t allow for much free time, don’t worry! There’s still plenty you can do to keep that friendship alive!
Instead of going out, schedule a phone call with them. Instead of going to see a movie, watch one together (there’s a suuuper fun way to watch movies simultaneously but from your respective homes through this cool Netflix feature!). Instead of grabbing lunch at your favorite restaurant, set up a virtual lunch date via Zoom, Facetime or Skype!
If that friendship is important to you (and it should be), make time for it, girl.
Loneliness doesn’t happen overnight. It accumulates over weeks and months of empty “we should hang outs” and canceled lunch dates. So pick a place and a time, and then don’t cancel it. Making a commitment to someone and then following through shows that you care, that you prioritize that time together. Not just to foster strong relationships with your friends and family, but to honor your own time and emotional well-being. Creating and keeping space for being loved has just as much value for you, girl!
It’s okay to have a life and have other priorities, of course, but keeping strong, empowered, wonderful people in your life is equally as important. Don’t let the busyness of everyday life keep you from your peeps. You need them and they need you, too. 💗