Cultivate Friendships: Call a Friend
When was the last time you called a friend?
Remember the days when you actually had to remember someone's phone number, or use the phone book? How many phone numbers do you know now without checking your contact list?
Pick up the phone and talk to a friend. Hear the sound of their voice, catch up on life without social media. You may find yourself laughing, receiving therapeutic advice, and perhaps you'll give some advice, too. Texting is fun and easy, but hearing someone's voice can sound like a beautiful song. This exchange of energy is important, and you may wonder what took you so long to call.
Personally, my best friend, KW, is pregnant with her first child. We've been best friends for seventeen years, and we usually spend so much time together, but due to the pandemic, we haven't been able to do so. I went six months without seeing my bestie, and I'll admit, I was sad. I missed her. In the meantime, I knitted a cream colored blanket and bought an entire starter wardrobe for my nephew.
Fast forward to June 7, I sent my best friend a text saying that I needed to drop off everything I'd purchased. (I managed to NOT buy the entire store, and it was difficult.) KW and I stayed six feet apart the entire time, and we spent an hour catching up outside of texting and social media. That one hour was the self-care sessions we needed.
Sometimes, self-care is solitary, and sometimes it's important to gather your tribe and take care of each other while you're taking care of yourselves.
L.A.