With so much commercialization around the holidays, it can be hard to remember what makes this time of year truly meaningful – savoring connections and feelings of gratitude for the special people in our lives. At Language of Friendship, we’ve found that gift giving can be both enjoyable and memorable, especially with personal touch. Sara... Continue Reading →
📚Fighting for Our Friendships
If you've ever wondered why female friendships can sometimes feel so messy and complicated when compared to male relationships, you may be interested in reading friendship coach Danielle Bayard Jackson's new book on the subject entitled Fighting for Our Friendships: The Science and Art of Conflict and Connection in Women's Relationships. I became curious about... Continue Reading →
World Book Day
April 23 is World Book Day, an opportunity to reflect on the transformative power of stories. We’ve shared book recommendations in past blog posts, and in honor of World Book Day, we’d like to share a few good reads about friendships that transcend geography, generations, and even species. We invite you to join us this... Continue Reading →
Celebrating Military Friends
I recently finished reading Kristin Hannah's fascinating new book "The Women" after it was recommended by a neighbor who had served our country as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam when he was 21 years old. This neighbor is one of the kindest individuals I've ever met, and I was very interested in the book because... Continue Reading →
Book Recs from Friends 📖
As much as I love to read, I never want to waste my limited leisure time reading books that are not my cup of tea. I want to be sure I'm going to enjoy a new title before committing to spend time on it. The question is how to find books that I will love... Continue Reading →
📚Happy Reading!
March is National Reading Month in honor of Dr. Seuss's birthday, and we hope you are smack in the middle of a book you enjoy. A few months ago, Julia wrote about how reading can help us feel less alone by introducing us to others whose experiences resonate with our own. In his poem entitled... Continue Reading →
Friendship Season
Any time of year is a perfect time of year to savor friendships, but the holiday season offers a wealth of opportunities to create memories together with friends. Recognizing that schedules can be challenging to coordinate as the holidays approach, this week we share a variety of ideas for honoring friendships this season. 1.... Continue Reading →
Friendship Hacks
When Sara and I launched this blog in early 2021, pandemic-disrupted friendships and everyday connections fueled our desire to write about the importance of friendship. Nearly three years later, life has mostly returned to ‘normal.’ While normal enables us to gather in person and hop on airplanes to celebrate milestones, normal can also be very... Continue Reading →
📚Living the ‘Good Life’
What does a research study that began 85 years ago tell us about living a ‘good life?’ Apparently, quite a lot. The Harvard Study of Adult Development (HSAD or the Study), a longitudinal research study that began in 1938 and tracked more than 700 individuals for over eight decades, was structured with singular goal in... Continue Reading →
Celebrating Moms/Mother Figures
Mother’s Day is one of those holidays that elicits the range of emotions. Some people consider it a Hallmark holiday designed to pressure us into buying gifts, creating Instagram-worthy visuals and artificial moments. Others are reminded of painful losses, or relationships that never quite measured up to expectations. At the same time, those of us... Continue Reading →