To fall in love with a man I have to be inspired by him โ be motivated by his hustle and dedication, admire his humility, adore his compassion, respect the way he sets boundaries, commend his leadership. I want to be in awe of the man he is.
Nobody talks about how humbling it is to return. Again. Same prayer. Same apology. Same grace. But God never says, โDidnโt we already do this?โ He receives you every time like itโs the first. Grace isnโt fragile. It was built with your weakness in mind.
People think grief is crying. But grief is waking up tired. Itโs forgetting words. Itโs being pulled into memories you didnโt ask to remember. Itโs holding back tears in the grocery store because a song or a scent brought them back. Grief isnโt just sadness, itโs the body remembering what the heart canโt let go of.
you don't need a 2 hour workout. you don't need to read a whole book this week. you don't need to write a full chapter. go for a walk. read 10 pages. write one paragraph. "a little" beats "nothing" every single time because it keeps the habit alive
how to maintain friendships as an adult:
> find habits & routines that keep your friends in your life.
> stop getting in your head if it's been a while since you've connected - people want to hear from you!!!
> stop prioritizing *work* every time people... friends often outlast jobs just saayyyying
> staying in touch doesn't have to be high effort: random texts, voice memos while you're walking, quick facetimes
> you can hang 1:1 OR invite them to activities you already do - a very natural 'in' since it's already in your schedule!
> celebrate their wins genuinely (new jobs, relationships, accomplishments) AND be there during the hard times
> you can host small gatherings at your home to see multiple friends at once
> remember the details about them - what they do, where they moved, the name of their partner - the little things matter
> be honest about what you need in the friendship. "would love to do monthly dinners - does that work for you?" AND put in effort to make it happen
> treat maintaining friendships as you would exercise - give it your time & energy
just as YOU change over time, so are your friends
STAY curious about who they're becoming!!!
reach out!!!
make plans!!!
you got this!!!