Staying Connected

Today’s culture of society prioritizes a busy lifestyle. One where those often forget to rest, feel guilty for not being busy, and find themselves anxious when they do find a dead period of time in their day. 

On top of all this, life has this interesting way of having you live miles away from some of your best friends and family members. 

We often get so busy we forget to stay connected with not only those that that live miles away, but also the ones who live right next door. And yes, I mean more connected than a follow on a social media post.

As I asked my brother the other day, “Are you going to finally get social media to stay connected with everyone in high school while you go to college?” He went, “I have their phone numbers.” 

Relationships are one of the most precious aspects of life, and spending/having time with those you love and care about is truly important. At the end of the day life is meant to be lived, shared, and enjoyed. Plus, those strong relationships are the ones that make you smile at the end of a tough day, are there to share your losses with, are there to share your wins with, are there to support you through the challenging times, and are there to allow you to, well, just be you. 

For example when your best friend from birth gets her first job offers post-grad school and sends you the messages, you cry with her to share in her success knowing everything she’s overcome despite not even living on the same coast since 2018 (I mean, at least I don't associate Ohio with the east coast?).

There are certainly times I do a better job of prioritizing connections both in-person and both virtually. But one thing that’s to be recognized is at the end of the day you need to fill-up your personal cup, you need to connect with those that bring you happiness, those that bring you inspiration, those that understand what you need, and those you can count on to be there for you. 

It’ll look different in many ways and it'll look different for different relationships and it'll look different in different parts of life/year etc., but we can all make better efforts to stay more connected and more present especially in a time where technology exists to help. 

Staying connected with those you live nearby 

 Take your lunch/dinner break etc.

      I am so guilty of not scheduling a “lunch” per say within my day or eating while working. Sometimes this is going to happen, but I also learned the power of actually stepping away from work to meet up with a co-worker/friend for lunch and refuel mentally/physically. I found that I was way more productive for the afternoon hours of the day when I spent time socializing and stepping away from technology in the midst of the day.

In fact, a supervisor who I admire greatly, once told me that she never ever skips a lunch break because it’s how you make friends at work, how you connect with others, and how you set yourself up for success later-on in the day.

If you don't want to spend money going out to eat, Picnics are also a great way to save some money! Pack lunches and even enjoy the vibes of cooking with someone.

One of my favorite memories from this past year was cooking chicken tacos and packing a picnic with my best friend! 

Post-work walks / Early morning walks 

     Not everything needs to require money. I love going for long walks, but they are so much more healing when you find a friend to go with. It’s a great way to rewind, spend time in nature, and get some steps in without even costing a dime.

In the summer months, these walks are even perfect for an evening stroll once it is sunsets and it cools down a bit. 

Don’t overthink the occasion

  

 Similarly, as to how I mentioned that not everything has to cost money, not everything needs to be extravagant. A 15-minute trip to your local ice cream shop, a 10-minute walk, a 20-minute coffee etc., is better than nothing!  

Always offer invites and let others know what you are up to

    I had a period of time and sometimes I still feel this way where I felt left out of things because I was such a “no” girl, or I may not eat there etc. But I also learned that while there are things I may want to do that I don’t foresee anyone else having interest in attending, ask and invite always because you truly never know.

You have the power of offering invitations to others when you choose to walk to a coffee shop or support another friend at an event or want to get free pancakes from IHOP on pancake day even though you think others may find it dumb. You never know unless you ask. And if someone declines or has no interest, learn to not take it to heart and go do things solo! Because a solo date is also important in filling up your own cup. 

Study Dates 

   I am a huge fan of just having someone to sit with while I do work or study or something. It can just be nice to have company and connection doesn’t always need to involve in-depth conversations. It can also be nice to see someone else doing the work you are putting in and being able to hold each other accountable for staying on-task and taking brain breaks. 

Staying connected with those far away

 Facetime Meals 

      One of my favorite things to do and one I need to be better at this upcoming year is having a meal with a loved one via facetime. As someone who lives alone, I often eat my meals solo. While this is fine, it can be nice to enjoy a meal and converse with someone. I did a few of these with my brother last year and we would cook the same meal in different parts of the country (oftentimes something different from what I would typically make) and catch-up with each other. I definitely want to do more of these. You can cook similar meals, order takeout together, or even cook different things, but either way it is a great way to stay connected. 

 Share a TV show, a book, a movie, a sporting event etc.

        I joined a book club and have been loving having someone I can talk to about a book. My friend Tara and I will also often facetime while watching NCAA gymnastics, so we can share our thoughts with each other despite being so far away from one another.

Read a book at the same time as someone else, watch a movie “together” despite being miles away, or cheer on your favorite athletes/sporting teams with one another.

 Text and call 

      A simple text can go a long way. You never know what it means to someone when you send them a quick message or see something that reminds you of them. Keep those you care about in your life, utilize technology to stay in-touch, and never be afraid to reach out to someone even if it's been months since you’ve connected. 

 Support your family/friends 

 

   Show your support for those you love by sending good luck texts on their biggest days, congratulating them on accomplishments, live streaming concerts and sporting events when you can’t be there in-person. Little things mean a lot in the long run. 

Now let’s make this our pact together to do better at staying connected with family/friends, supporting one another in all our endeavors, and being cheerleaders for the ones we love.