It’s not always easy to get back on track with friendships that have been put on hold through a pandemic.
So what should you do if you’re want to reconnect with friends but you’re not sure where to start?
Reach out
“I always say: if you reach out to people you’ll be surprised at who reaches back,” says Kim Rutherford, psychotherapist and author of 8 Wise Ways.
The first step to reconnect with friends is to make contact and, if you feel comfortable, explain that you’ve been having a hard time.
“People don’t know you’re struggling, if you don’t tell them. Most people, when they hear that there’s somebody they care about who is unhappy, will do everything they can to try and change that. Be brave and put yourself back out there.”
Read: What your nose knows about potential friends before you do
Be honest
Maybe you’re feeling slightly resentful that a friend hasn’t been in contact for a long time. Maybe you’re feeling guilty that you haven’t put in the effort. It can help to address these kinds of issues openly rather than burying your emotions when trying to reconnect with friends.
“Friendships are just like any other relationship,” Ms Rutherford says. “You have to keep assessing them, and you have to keep analysing them, and you need to be making sure that those relationships are bringing something to your life.
“Just like we would with romantic partners, it’s looking at what is working in this relationship and what isn’t working, and having some open conversations, if we want to try and fix it.”
Read: True friendship – Aussie style
Get together – and make it fun
Did you start the pandemic excitedly arranging tons of Zoom quizzes and watching movies together online, then swiftly get sick of staring at a screen all the time?
“The problem with social media, it’s not quality time – Zooms aren’t quality time. You need to be in someone’s presence,” Ms Rutherford says.
Read: Why you need Five Good Friends in your life
If you are able meet up in person, she suggests choosing fun activities rather than just dinners or coffee catch ups: “If you start doing things with your friends that are fun, rather than sitting there just chatting about how bad the pandemic is – which keeps you feeling negative for longer – you’ll be in a better place.
“So start actually planning things that are more fun. Bring that fun element, bring that happiness element, back to the forefront so you look forward to spending time with people again.”
Did you lose touch with a friend during the pandemic? Have you reached out or tried to reconnect? Let us know in the comments section below.
– With PA
If you enjoy our content, don’t keep it to yourself. Share our free eNews with your friends and encourage them to sign up.
