By Bronwyn Ison
As I reflect upon friendships in my life, I am insurmountably blessed. I am so appreciative of the people I have in my life. Do you have people/person in your life that you can say will be a friend for a lifetime? Are you there for your friend in a time of need? Can you rely on a friend when you needed them most? Do you consider your friend(s) as family? How can you continue to foster a loving and lifetime friendship with someone?
Four childhood friends of mine are and will be my lifetime girlfriends. Each of them is the sister I never had. Geographically we are separated but never a world apart. Social media, texting, or a phone call joins us. We have been friends for 30 years. All five of us are each other’s best friends.
Relationships require effort, nurturing, love, attention and time. Friendships also require honesty, trust, respect and comfort. Consider this; Do your friends enable you to be a better person? Are they helpful in your personal growth? Do they render your life easier or more challenging for you to grow or change? Now, consider this; what quality of friend are you? Do you give as much as you receive? Sincerity, kindness and love are exceptional tools for building a solid foundation for friendships.
There are a plethora of opportunities to deepen your relationships. Some friendships are about intimate conversations over coffee, while others may be based upon social activities such as working out or going out.
Spend more time together. You will get to know your friend or develop greater relationships with others by putting forth the time. This will also require that you see each other quite regularly. Make plans to hang out or do things with other people.
Yet, it is a good idea to have simple one-on-one time together. You will get to know the person much better without distractions.
Consider sharing your ideas with your friend. Perhaps you can work on a project together. This would generate camaraderie to your relationship. Be vulnerable with a friend. Your friend will appreciate and respect your candor. He/she will recognize you are human and you are not fearful about exposing yourself.
Offer to do something nice for your friend. Consider babysitting while she runs errands. This will demonstrate you care about her family. Write your friend a note to express that you care about your friendship. It’s the little things that matter.
Follow through with your friends. Don’t be a flake! Show consistency. Authenticity is essential to true friendships. The best present you can give a friend is simply being yourself.
Bronwyn Ison is the owner of Evolve Yoga. 50-991 Washington Street.
(760) 564-YOGA or www.e-volveyoga.com
