EXCERPT:
Find your common ground.
Your weekends may be filled with going to soccer matches and meal prepping for your kiddos, while your best friend goes to hot yoga and brunch, but there is likely still a common ground to be found. If you want to maintain your friendship, try your best to discover ways to connect, recommends psychologist Dr. Yvonne Thomas, Ph.D. The most effective way to keep it a priority is to set a regular standing date in your calendar so you can both plan for it.
“If you both love playing golf, schedule a monthly time to play together,” Dr. Thomas continues. “By finding and engaging in activities in which you both share a common interest, this can help maintain and increase the bonding you have with each other despite divergent life stages.”
Sometimes, you may feel like everything in your life is going right and you feel fulfilled. And at the same time, your friend may be struggling to get out of bed in the morning. The tables will always turn, so it’s essential to remain sensitive to one another’s situations. It is imperative to try to be respectful of where each other is at in their lives,” Dr. Thomas says.
For example, if you are just got a job promotion while your friend just lost their job, not talking too much about your career success would be appropriate. Instead, Dr. Thomas says it’s a better friend move to help your pal find promising job leads, look over their resume, and be emotionally supportive and encouraging. “Conversely, your friend could be congratulatory to you about your promotion and ask you for tips of what has helped with your career success as a way to learn and grow for their career pursuits,” she adds.
Yvonne Thomas, Ph.D. is a Los Angeles Therapist. To read the full article ”What To Do If You And Your Best Friend Are At Different Life Stages” visit edit.sundayriley.com.