Three Ways I Stay Connected with My Friends

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Of the five areas of the Pounce Pot Protocol, this one feels the easiest to me. Connecting with other people might indeed be one of my natural talents, but it doesn’t come without work. It’s my opinion that working on connections actually takes commitment and time; at the very least it takes communication skills.

Every week, I make strides to Connect & Thrive. My friend, Joni, wrote a fabulous guest blog post about the many connections that she has made and works to maintain in her life.

Here are a few of mine, as well:

1. I check in with friends via text or Whats App pretty much every day.

It’s a great feeling to know that a friend will ask me, ”Are you alive?!” if we don’t text for a few days. I also organize some friends by theme for group texting.

It’s so much fun to send memes, photos, and well-wishes to my monthly lunch circle, the extended family group, the college gang, and our former Cayman crowd.

2. I still send paper birthday cards, thank you notes, and holiday cards.

Sometimes, friends will tell me that my card was the only card they received. Making friends feel special helps both of you thrive, and while greetings cards are outrageously priced these days, I can still find some reasonably priced locally printed and handmade ones at art fairs or at our local General Store.

I order stamps from usps.com making the process seamless. Getting a piece of real mail might be a quaint thing of the past, but I still think it’s a great way to connect. Besides, everyone loves finding something that’s not a bill in the mailbox!

3. I’ll schedule a walk date instead of calling.

For friends who live in my town, I love to walk and talk. It’s great for us both to get outside in the fresh air and sunshine, and we get to catch up on our lives at the same time.

It’s shockingly hard to arrange, but I stay persistent. A walking date is definitely one of my top ways to stay in touch with friends. Besides, you can walk the dog at the same time!

It’s these close connections that build the foundations upon which our future selves will be relying. Keeping in touch with our friends, family (or chosen family), former colleagues, classmates, and neighbors creates networks that study after study have proven lengthen our lives and brings us happiness.

Friends are so vital to our wellbeing, that even meeting up with friends online brings benefits. Of course, we’re not thinking about our future while we’re enjoying our friends today. But it’s a good to keep track of how long its been since you’ve been out of your house to socialize.

Make it a habit to reflect back on your week — pick a day — perhaps each Sunday afternoon. If you discover that you’ve been alone all week, make a play date for the upcoming week, send a card or two, write a few texts, and hone your connection skills.

You never know who might be benefiting more, you or your friend!