I missed a college reunion. It killed me, it still does. It was my fault. I had plans to go. I had a reservation, I had roomies from college to go with and I paid. But I didn’t go. I didn’t get organized enough to get my kids ready for college early, I didn’t get ahead at work and I didn’t allow any time for the unexpected. And the unexpected happened. My dog broke her leg and I ended up on the seriously short side of a packed schedule. I choked and I cancelled. And all weekend long I watched the fun from facebook and boohooed with self-pity.
Do not be me in this situation because friends–old and new–are an investment that you have to keep up with. So lesson learned! Here are 10 ways busy women like me need to make and keep friends. Let’s hope I remember.
- Be intentional. Resist the urge to sit back and let friends find you by reaching out to new friends in your community or old friends further away.
- Be persistent. No matter how many times you’ve been unable to get together because of conflicting schedules with your friend, keep looking for opportunities.
- Be bold. Realize how important it is to make the most of the time you share with friends by asking deep, hard questions to find out how they’re really doing.
- Be available. Make it easy for your friends to communicate with you through different means of technology. Call, text, email, or even chat on Facebook.
- Be active. When you go out with friends, be sure to do something fun! Catch a movie, go for a walk, or even grab lunch at a sweet, little café.
- Be thoughtful. If you see a book you know they’d enjoy or a bracelet they’d love, don’t hesitate to get it for them. Little gifts show that you think of them.
- Be attentive. Remember important details about your friends’ lives, and be sure to ask them about those details in future conversations.
- Be invested. Don’t just be friends when it’s convenient for you. Love your friends well and love them often.
- Be forgiving. When conflict arises, don’t let it settle in. Be quick to forgive and quick to say sorry.
- Be there. As great as a conversation over the phone can be, nothing is as good as seeing your friends face-to-face. Make time to be there with them.
Oh, and one more that we really need to remember–be silly!
