Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's tip is to invest in your old friendships. You cannot make an old friend. You can make a new one who might become an old one, but you can't just make an old one. So figure out ways to sustain the longtime friendships you value, and you will probably be happier overall. So, as the Childhood's song advises, we are wise to make new friends but keep the old as
our lives unfold. It's great to make new friends who share our current experiences and priorities, and it is natural that older friendships ebb and flow. We go through more or less close times as people have other stuff in their lives or inter phases of life at different times. But even so, it is wise to thoughtfully maintain the old friendships we value, because you can't make an old friend, and it is quite possible that a time will come in life when you will want to be close again.
So think about people you have been close with in the past, and think about how you might warm up these relationships. If you sometimes text with a friend, suggest getting together for coffee or lunch, or you might do something else that revives an old shared interest. If you used to play soccer together, maybe you could watch a major soccer match together at a sports bar. Of course, I know one of the biggest barriers to maintaining old friendships is that many of us don't live near our
old friends. People move for school, for work, for family, and because we don't see each other in our day to day lives, we can't maintain the connections as easily. But technology is so helpful these days. You might suggest a zoom meet up with an old friend and I am sure you will find yourself chatting pretty easily. Or
this is an important realization, you can travel. Even just seeing someone once a year can maintain a relationship pretty well if you've got some flexibility with your time and some disposable income, as I know is true for a lot of people who listen to this podcast. You can get in your car or get on a plane and go. If it has truly been a while and you want to ease into things, you can identify people you are once close to and come up with a plausible reason
you would be in the area. Lots of us can do many things for work, or we could go to concerts or shows or visit extended family members and stop by and see an old friend on the way. Then once you have done that, it will be a lot easier to maintain the connection. You send texts and photos and keep them posted on your life. Life is long. It feels good to have friends on the journey who share past memories and experiences with us. So if there is an old friend who has been on your mind lately,
consider reaching out. Renewing your friendship could give you a sense of connection to the old friend and to your past self too. I'd love to hear about your experiences maintaining or rekindling old friendships. You can reach me at Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making the most of our time. Thanks for listening to Before Breakfast. If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback, you can reach
me at Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts from iHeartMedia, please visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows,