Let's celebrate each other.
I think this just might be the best unofficial holiday of the year. A very recent fixture in the calendar, it started as a fictitious day on the 13th of February, celebrated by Leslie Knope of Parks and Recreation in 2010.
Even though it was originally created in a sitcom written by two men, it's really picked up traction over the years, and why not! a day where we can let her friends know just how great they are and make time to celebrate the amazing women in our lives.
February is all about love; it's everywhere, it's great to celebrate that romantic love, but there are so many different types of relationships and it's wonderful to have a reason to celebrate those too.
Some friendships remain constant as everything else inevitably ebbs and flows, they are there as we grow and change, to celebrate with us and be there in the most challenging of times. I don’t think I tell them enough just how much they enrich my life.
We are wired for connection, friendships actually improve our mental and physical health. Meaningful relationships are much more beneficial, so quality is definitely better than quantity.
Here are a few things we can do to make sure to be great friend every day.
Kindness- We can be tough on ourselves, so be their cheerleader!
Listen- What's going on? Sometimes we just need to listen, and have empathy, and if it’s a challenging time we don’t need to ‘fix it’ and offer advice only if asked.
Open up - By sharing you are showing just how special your friend is to you, it deepens connection.
Trust- Be reliable and trustworthy, follow through with things and make sure they can count on you.
Make an effort to catch up - Things get super busy, so perhaps get a date in the diary!
And perhaps Glentines is a good opportunity to reach out and reconnect with friends you haven't seen for a while. Make plans, send a little something in the post or give them a call.
Finally, Galentines is a great way to thank your friends, you could spend time together in real life or online, exchange gifts and compliments and build each other up.
Here's to strong women!
