Dear nécessité,
How are you? Happy Day. Happy Spring. I have realized many things about myself in the last two years, as you probably have too. One thing I truly know that is important for me to stay grounded, connected, and spiritually fed is to have and nurture meaningful relationships. And I mean, meaningful. The people that I not only care about but that with much sincerity care about me too. I am a people person. I love people. I love meeting them. I love learning from them, talking with them, listening to them, helping them, being helped, etc.
In the last year and a half, I had many moments of feeling isolated, and I felt like we were removed to a beautiful island without friends. While I had the blessings of my immediate family being with me daily and healthy, I was missing my friends. My blood family means the world to me. My friends are also a huge piece of that medicine. Doses of true valuable friendships are needed to fuel me and feed me. My plate felt imbalanced during that time without that human connection of friendship, but I knew I had to make the best of it and find a way to stay connected. So I wrote notes, called them, and sent a text to them.
Now that we are moving forward, I am more grateful and appreciative of my friends. They uplift me. They support me. They allow me to cry. They allow me to be vulnerable. They hold me accountable. They accept me. They love me, and they make time for me and vice versa. So I encourage you to stay connected with your friends. Your real friends, the ones you laugh and cry with. It is excellent for our mental health too. It is not about the quantity of friends; it is about the quality, the character of the person you’re choosing to have in your personal and intimate space. So if you’re not traveling or flying to any destination right now, call them. Hear their voice. Laugh with them, checking in on them.
Write a note. Send a sweet text, and go for a walk together. Hug them. I try to not take it for granted when I see my friends now because there was a time when I could not see them, and I now know the reality of the feeling, “what if you can’t see your friends”.. of course, it’s the same for family, but this is about friends that serve as our extended family. So share the love and show the love. Reach out and touch that friend today, not only for them but for you too. Enjoy all of them and let their energy resonate with you internally as to why you even call them your friend.
Here I am recently out with some of my dear girlfriends who have been in my life for over 15-20 years that I met up with on a spontaneous moment. We all felt good to see each other, and we were so happy to see each other and sit and share a moment. We knew it was a nécessité, and we all made the time to connect.
Tell me, how can you connect with a friend right now? Here’s to human connection.
Much love and gratitude, Erica Reid
Certified Holistic Health Coach
Certified in Gut Health
Author of The Thriving Child, Shut Up and Cook!