For the Love of Friendship

By: Maura L. Johnson

The shortest month of the year brings with it a glimpse into the coming winter reprieve, with a holiday created exclusively to celebrate when that might occur. While Groundhog Day is celebrated far more enthusiastically in my hometown, its celebration of new beginnings (50% chance of them arriving sooner rather than later) is widely recognized. However, the month of February has long been associated with a holiday many love, or love to hate: Valentine’s Day. And while much of the focus tends to be a celebration of romantic partnerships, the love shared among friends is equally deserving of celebration and recognition.

Friendships play a crucial role during every season of our lives. While we typically have the most access to our friends in our formative years, there’s something incredibly special about maintaining relationships with people who have experienced multiple life stages alongside you.  Prioritizing time with friends, especially as a parent, allows us to regroup, recharge, and create connections that are incredibly valuable to our mental and emotional health. Spending time with friends also tends to reduce anxiety and depression, lower stress hormones (vent away!) and provide emotional validation through feeling understood and supported. Friendships are especially important during times of major transition, loss, recovery, and isolation.

While we may be aware of how valuable and beneficial friendships are, the very real issue of cultivating and nurturing them is often a concern. We may find ourselves with genuine intentions to make time for our friends while everyday life has other plans. When it comes to building new friendships, creating consistent contact and access to one another assists in building the “familiarity effect”. This allows for trust-building over time and creates an opportunity for further connection. Regular texting, even if it seems low-effort, is still a way to create and foster connection with our friends. Social media allows us a window into each other’s lives; however, it can also mean finding fewer reasons to check in with someone. 

Whether it’s setting aside time to catch up over the phone, dinner, traveling together or even planning an all-out Galentine’s Day, finding strategies to nurture our friendships remains an invaluable asset to our emotional and mental well-being. Wishing everyone a Happy Valentine’s Day and here’s to an early Spring!