Episode 1022: Invest in Friendship

As early as I can remember, I have always wanted deep friendships. People who know my story. People I can trust with the intimate details of what is going on in my life. I didn’t have that when I was young and it left me with a deep yearning for closeness in my adult life. At first I thought I could fill the need with a boyfriend or a husband but I couldn’t make him fit into what I needed. I meet my now best friend, Molly, at my work. We started a bit slow and then we somehow fit. We weren’t anything alike and yet we met a need for each other that has lasted over 25 years. That circle of friendship grew and kept expanding until there were 7 and then a few more in the boyfriends and husbands. I am grateful to say, I have a posse. People to celebrate with and invest in. I didn’t realize the depth of what they gave me until my incident. They all showed up in different ways and I felt seen in a way I had never thought possible. I needed them and they met my need to be realized. I had a place to land, people to invest my gifts in. It gave my life a depth that is remarkable.

Friendship isn’t an automatic thing. There are actions that will make it better, no matter who your friends are, no matter what your personality. You need to be authentic, you need to ask for time, and you need to trust. It’s a formula that pays off in ways you never dreamed.

I’m so thankful for my friends. I still make new friends but I’m so glad I have a group of people that show up for me in a big way and that I don’t have to impress. I honestly strive to be the best I can be, knowing they always have my back, that they seek to understand me. This episode of Little Better You is just a snippet of what I’ve learned on my path to friendship but whatever you do, lean in to friendship. I truly wouldn’t be the same without my friendships. And I know it will pay off for you too.