“Each friend represents a world in us, a world of possibility not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.”—Anaiis Nin
Remember when … hop, skip, jump. “Ya wanna come over to play? We could climb the magnolia tree, ride our bikes, or go get an ice cream.” Remember as a child, when playing with friends was like breathing air. You needed a good dose of playing with friends to feel connected, joyful, and adventuresome. As an adult, you need a reminder to call up a friend to come over to play.
Life gets busy, priorities get skewed, and before you know it, you are thinking: it has been forever since I spent time with this person or that. Further, you need reminding to create fun opportunities to gather with friends. A conversation over a cup of coffee can be rich, and it doesn’t have to stop there. What about a hike, a potluck, an invitation to go exploring for the day down country lanes or through an urban shopping jungle?
Here is a playful story …
Claire got a call from a girlfriend. She was invited to a get-together on Saturday night and was told to dress warmly in layers. Arriving at her friend’s home she was asked, “So, do you want to know what we are going to do?” In true Claire spirit, she said, “Oh no, surprise me.” They hopped in the car and arrived shortly at the stables where her friend’s horses were boarded. From the barn curled the scent of fresh, sweet-smelling straw and over the stalls peeked inquisitive horses. With a twinkle in her eyes, her friend spread a picnic blanket on the grass and cranked up her favorite music. She knew Claire loved to dance, and that night those two playful, wild women danced to their hearts content, barefoot, with horses smiling all around and with a canopy of stars above them. Now that was a creative invitation to come over to play!
We all want to connect with others, to feel truly seen and heard and honored for who we are, to belong to a community, a family. We want to give and receive love. This begins with how we show up, how we choose to nurture connections in our lives, and what our intention is. There may be times when we find ourselves feeling isolated and alone and wondering when our friends or family will come to call. There may be times when we look around and see only naysayers in our midst. As with all things in life, if our commitment is to live an exceptional life and we feel a lack of connection with others, then we have an opportunity to create new friendships and/or to revitalize old ones.
A powerful way to enhance the quality of your life is to enhance the quality of your relationships and to surround yourself with empowered, joyful folks. You know the ones: they exude vitality and warmth along the path they walk. They are like magnets and attract all kinds of magical people into their lives. If you were to capture the essence of them in a few words, they might be: positive attitude, no excuses, ability to listen well and express appreciation, lots of energy, vibrant, a can-do attitude, a deep sense of gratitude, and a willingness to extend a helping hand to others. Seek these people out and become one of them yourself. You will transform your life!
Seven simple ways to step up your life by stepping up relationships:
1. Feeling a lack of appreciation from others? Express greater appreciation to others and do so in creative ways. Place a loving note under their pillow, wash and wax their car, or take them out for dessert.
2. Do you find yourself wishing you had more friends? Step out into the world in a way that provides new opportunities to connect with people who share your interests or hobbies. Join a book club, sign up for an exercise class, or ask someone you’ve just met out for lunch.
