http://www.care2.com/greenliving/how-to-feed-a-friendship-five-tips.html
How to Feed a Friendship: 5 Tips
Adapted from The Friendship Crisis, by Marla Paul (Rodale Press, 2004).
Everybody needs friends! Having someone to laugh with, cry with–someone who understands and cares and supports you–is part of what makes life worth living. But in today’s busy world, we often don’t make enough time to nurture those friendships that are so essential.
Here are five tips that are the equivalent of friendship vitamins, sure to help a relationship flourish. Read them here:
1. Pay attention. Keep tabs on the significant events in a friend’s life. Did her daughter just head off to college? Call to see how she’s holding up and invite her over for coffee. Did her dad have bypass surgery? Check in.
2. Exercise your dialing finger. Okay, most of us have touch-tone phones, but you get the idea: Friendship thrives on knowing the minutiae of each other’s lives. You can’t know them unless you stay in touch. Don’t quibble about whose turn it is to call.
3. Crack open your datebook. The happiest women wedge spaces into their week for pals no matter how busy they are. They meet for muffins before work, hit side-by-side treadmills at the health club, sashay out for dinner on a weeknight. Make it a non-negotiable date.
4. Raise a flute of champagne. Sure, we need people when life clops us between the eyes. But it’s just as important to cheer the victories. Did she finally finish her master’s thesis or nab a promotion? Take her out to lunch or send her a note.
5. Rain compliments. Most of us don’t get a lot of strokes–from our boss, our family, or our kids. That’s what friends are for. I know a woman who makes me feel gorgeous and brilliant–well, at least attractive and capable–nearly every time we talk. How could you not love her?
Annie B.
Melissa
Jana
Kelly
Lily
Terri
Betsy
Cait
Eric
Andrew
Dave
Robyn
Deepak
24 comments
add your comment »Since moving 1000 miles from my women friends, the only women I meet are my customers. I like some of them a lot and would like to be friends with them, but I'm unsure how to appropriately cross over from a customer-professional relationship to friendship without making things uncomfortable professionally. Any suggestions?
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I am thankful for freedom. I work to combat modern slavery(human trafficking) and I have learned fom the victims and the traffickers what freedom and lack of freedom truly means. I use everyday to freed those held in servitude. People often think my job is dark and sometimes it is but it is also responsible for the most wonderful days that I never even knew to how wish for.
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txs. Real friends are scarce and it sure is good to be able to keep them.
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Being on life support makes you think deeper,broader,and with gratitude for the time you have left.Can't get out much, but using my time constructively here to gain 1 million signatures for those imprisoned, tortured, being killed for their organs and tissues in Communist China.If we can gain 1 million signatures,health God willing, will take it personally to the UN to show in the people's name, we request the lives of innocent children and adults be spared from such unjust human rights violations.We have to remember their are those who have less freedoms than we do every day.Our actions and thoughts must be a positive reflection of what we feel inside and justly put into action for all. Conscience is the moral compass which allows peoples and nations to flourish. I believe no matter what your disabilities are,even if you can't leave home or your bed, you can do something lasting to leave as a legacy as a person, as a peoples, as a nation.Hopefully others will believe this and we will gain, 1 million signatures. I don't knwo many people, but by the kindness of Care2, already 201 signatures we have. i am grateful for the signatures beyond words. Thank you so much for your backers, and dedicated peoples who visit this site. For people as myself on life support, you make 'hope' and 'support' of particular relevance, when you think your signature may well save many millions of peoples. This is what gratitude means to our non-profit, and to me. Thanks Care2 and God Bless.
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txs !!Itry to practice
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Patti... I can certainly understand your hesitation, having social anxiety, of taking steps to "get out and making friends on your own", however, have you checked into any support groups in your area for your condition? That may be a first step for you to help. Also, you might want to consider volunteering at a local school as a Teacher's Aide, or at the local library to help young children in a reading group learn to read better, or at a youth group that meets with young people after school and works on crafts/projects? You certainly would be around eager YOUNG people who would look up to you for your guidance, plus you would be able to "prove to your son and daughter-in-law that you certainly CAN take care of your grandchild" :-) Who knows how many friends you would make by placing yourself in any one of these situations and you would be doing a "great service to the community" at the same time!
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Just one week ago I lost my Best Friend. I am thankful for the time we spent together, the fun we had, the love we shared; those
moments that make life good. Do stay in touch, it truly means alot.
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Thank you! I not only need to do this with friends, but family too!
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Excellent. I should do this more often. Thank you.
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Reaching out to freinds makes the day worthwhile! Whenever I meditate on giving and receiving love from my friends, magically I am answering the telephone or reading emails from those whom I care about the most! It works, try it...
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