We all get regular oil changes for our cars, rotate the tires, put on winter tires, blah, blah blah. It’s important. And it’s a well known fact that regular maintenance means your car will work and last longer.
But what about your friendships? Have you ever considered that friendships, like cars, need maintenance as well?
Back in our school days”friendship maintenance” wasn’t an issue. We saw each other nearly every day. But as we got older, moved, got married and so on, seeing our friends became much more of a scheduled event.
Inevitably some friendships fade or take a serious backseat. But what about those friendships that you want to preserve? the ones you’re not ready to relegate to the basement of your life?
Here’s the thing: if you want those friendships to live on and flourish, you need to put in some work. You can’t just wait for Sharon to call you. Or for Helen to text. Sometimes you gotta make the first move.
Back in my 20’s, my best friend R and I had rituals to stay connected. After college/university, we were both busy working, dating, etc. But we had one standing date: on Friday after work, we would meet at the local Lone Star, have dinner, and catch each other up on our weeks.
These days things are quite different. We live in different cities, and we rarely see each other more than twice a year. I know many women are in the same situation. And since women are planners, how about a plan to keep your friendship alive and healthy?
Here’s some things you can plan to stay connected:
- texting a weekly check-in: nothing elaborate, just saying hi, how are the kids?
- schedule a long phone chat on a Friday evening
- a standing date at the local pub after work on a Friday evening
- dinner out with your circle on friends on each person’s birthday
- a week spent each summer with your best friend and her family-in another city
- traveling yearly together
- video chatting on the weekend when the rest of your family is out/busy
If this post has article has sparked an interest in reconnecting with your friends, I’m delighted. They’ll be happy to hear from you no matter what method you use, trust me!
And if you need assistance with the “maintenance” portion, I can always help. Sending a greeting card is pretty easy....you don’t even need to leave home to buy mine :-)
Visit https://sassygreetings.myshopify.com and select the cards that will let your bestie know you’re thinking of her.