It’s the holidays, and what better time than now to reconnect with old friends?
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I can be bad about texting back. In fact, my friends tease me about this. I can go weeks without responding. It’s not cute. Actually, it’s probably very annoying.
I don’t know why I’m so bad about this! I just get distracted or overwhelmed or whatever else, and before I know it, a lot of days have slipped by and my friends have been left on “read.”
But no longer! For 2026, I’m making more of an effort to connect with people, especially those I love so much.
I’m starting this resolution early. As of now, I’m making a point to reach out to more folks and respond in a more timely manner.
This began with some of my besties, people I talk to all the time but sometimes don’t connect with as often as I should. The group chat is going off. We’re making plans for 2026. We’re focusing on coming together and having fun.
And I’m actually a part of the conversation! I’m making it a point to respond, to engage, to ask questions. Believe it or not, a little effort actually does go a long way. I feel closer to these friends than I have for a long time, and it’s amazing.
I think my need for connection is amplified by the holidays. Around this time, we talk a lot about coming together and spending time with those who matter. That lesson feels especially important this year. It’s so easy to disengage, to pull away, to fall off. But literally, all we have in this world is each other. Those are bonds I don’t want to lose.
And I’ve been guilty before of taking some of those friendships for granted. It’s not that I don’t appreciate and love my friends. It’s that I get so wrapped up in my own life, that I forget to make time for those I love. It’s an easy thing to do, but it’s still sucky. I’m owning it, and I’m pushing myself to do more.
That starts with answering the phone. In addition to my texting, which I’m trying to amplify in 2026, I’m also forcing myself to make more phone calls.
I say “forcing myself,” which sounds bad. I like talking on the phone once I actually get on there. But I’m bad at thinking, “Hey, I should call so-and-so.” I’m going to try to commit to more frequent phone calls.
One thing that complicates all of this is that my friends are all spread out. I have one friend in California, another in Spain. Unfortunately, we can’t just forego the phone altogether and plan a coffee date. It’s a shame that teleportation hasn’t been perfected yet. In the meantime, we’re connected by texts and phone calls.
It’s a gift to have that technology and to be able to maintain those friendships, but I sure miss when we all lived in a two-mile radius. So I’ll be trying my best to recreate that energy via more frequent connection and more genuine conversations.
I feel especially committed to this goal right now, during the holidays, when we all need each other more than ever. But it’s my goal to keep this energy going through 2026. I’ve decided this next year is going to be great, and part of facilitating that great year is by building up the friendships I’m so lucky to have.
So that’s my plan, and I’m sticking to it. I want my friends to know how much I love them. The least I can do is respond to a text every now and then.
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