My birthday is a time when I get to reflect on my relationships and one of my favorite parts – when my people tell me of how something I said or did spurred some great decisions that they go on to make amazing feats from. Most times I don’t even remember saying these things haha.
Talking to my friends candidly about our relationship is a great way that I can get an honest appraisal of how I’m doing as their friend, they tell me what they like, where I can improve and what keeps them hanging around despite my shortcomings haha. I value these bare conversations so much; there’s a whole lot of relationship sinkers that lie in miscommunication, and realizing you lost someone important to you because of something as solvable as communication hurts – badly.
I’m learning to love “on” my friends more, by this I mean I learn their love languages and aim to speak it fluently. Yes, we are all busy millennials trying to make sure we stay afloat in our careers and have other responsibilities, but friendships matter a whole lot. Over here in the UK, we’re in a lockdown (again). Just this week someone tried to commit suicide on my street; this is something loneliness can make people result to. My girls and I workout together over video calls not because we don’t all have access to the workout class, but it’s that togetherness, that human interaction – it matters.
So I suggest you ponder on your valued friendships, and ask yourself when last you verbalized this value to the other person – send that message now!
Till next time,
Dr. ETP xo
