FRIENDSHIP

Two days this week I woke up to texts from two different friends: one telling me to have a good day and the other, just letting me know I was appreciated. Both started my day off on an awesome note. These actions made me realize how important the little things are in friendship. In an effort to be a better friend myself I wanted to put together a list of little ways to be a better friend every day.

Send the Text

As a couple of quick texts triggered this post it was an obvious jumping off point. Typing a text to say “How’s it going?” or “I miss you”, sending an old memory, or even shooting a pal a fun meme are all easy ways to show your friends, I’m thinking about you, I care about you, or I get you. It takes a few seconds to let someone know that you care about them. You never know if a friend is feeling lonely or having a rough day, and these simple gestures can have a big impact.

Respond

If you’re friend is the person to send the initial message, remind them they’re appreciated too! Whether it is a group message, an Instagram post they share, or a Snapchat, let them know you appreciated that they took the time to think about you. We all get busy and occasionally may not remember to respond, but when it becomes a habit those texts are going to stop and the relationship will suffer. AKA just text your peeps back!

Make the Time

My friend Marisa lives about 15 minutes away, but she also works second shift and we often have conflicting weekend schedules. However we have found that meeting at 8 am for donuts works for us. Marisa makes the time for me by waking up early to meet me before work. We get to see each other face to face and we hardly have to adjust our schedules at all. Oh and we get the best donuts (shout out to Brewnuts)! If someone lives close by and wants to see you be flexible and be creative, trust me the time exists!

Travel

Sometimes your friends live far away, which can make keeping up a relationship hard for everyone. Remember, your friend often doesn’t just live far away from you but often their family and other friends as well. There is nothing that says I care about you like hopping on a plane or driving several hours to spend time with your friends. Sometimes this means visiting them at their parents, meeting in the middle, or flying across the country. As someone who has lived about a 12 hours drive from many of my favorite people, I’ll never forget those who visited North Carolina or made extra time for me while I was back visiting in Ohio.

Pick up the Phone

Not everyone likes to talk on the phone the way I do, but I definitely think it is the next closest thing to being in the same place as a friend. Additionally, unlike many of the other options you can do it while driving. What better way to spend a long drive than to check up on some of your favorite people. I also am a strong believer that there is nothing like a good conversation to help a long drive pass quickly.

Be a cheerleader

When you’re in the same place as your friends this often means supporting them by attending their events and literally cheering them on. However, there are also ways to cheer on your friends from afar. My friends cheer me on by commenting on my Instagram posts or replying to my stories. Additionally, since I got an Apple Watch my friends and I cheer each other on when we complete work outs and accomplish our fitness goals!

How do you show your friends you care?