Connecting With Friends And Influencing Each Other
December 19, 2007 | In Connecting With Others |
Table of contents for Friends
- Connecting With Friends And Influencing Each Other
- How To Keep Helping When No One Else Wants To
- Gone But Not Forgotten - Life Lessons & Former Friends
- Helping A Friend The Best Way We Can
- Volunteer For Designated Driver
Does being a loyal friend conflict with being an activist?
Photo by Lex in the City
While I an foresee individual situations where these two may be in conflict, caring about other people is an integral part of being of being an activist. And who do we care the most about? Our friends and family. Caring about them is part of who we are, and connecting with them is something we do daily. I’ve thought in depth about this and decided to write a series of posts about it.
How We Influence Our Friends
I had ideas about friends as they relate to activism. Since these are the folks we spend the most time with, it’s a natural extension to say we can get them to join us. I can get fired up about topics and love to talk about them at length. On more than one occasion, I know that I’ve given my friends food for thought. However, there is also those others around me, co-workers in particular. I’m friendly with them, but not as close as with my friends. I wondered if I could influence them as well, and then just considered how my actions affect those around me in general. And thus was written: How To Keep Helping When No One Else Wants To.
How Our Friends Influence Us
Once I had thought about how my actions can influence those around me, I started thinking in detail about how those I’ve met over the years have influenced me. I’ve had friends come and go, some I miss very much, and others I know I drifted apart from. But all were part of my life for a period of time and had an influence on me. I thought of three who had big influence on me and decided to tell the story of how. And this became: Gone But Not Forgotten - Life Lessons & Former Friends.
Using Our Strengths In Relationships With Friends
One of my biggest strengths can also be my biggest weakness when I allow it to blind me: my loyalty to my friends. On the one hand, this allows me to form deep friendship with others. On the other hand, it can lead me to want to rescue them when they don’t need that much help. As I thought about this, I remembered an important bit of wisdom I was told years ago, and realized it is important to be there for my friends as best as I can. Which is to say by offering my unique strengths. I explain what I mean by this in: Helping A Friend The Best Way We Can.
A Case Study In Helping Friends - Be Willing To Be Different
Around the same time I got the idea for this series, I saw a tabloid at the supermarket checkout that was talking - yet again - about the recent drinking habits of several celebrities. And, since I was already thinking about my friends, I connected the two and thought about my college days. Stereotypically, college is a time of drinking and partying. Well, I didn’t do any of that. I had a core group of friends and they liked to drink, but none of us were the big party types. However, it’s scary to think about the drinking that does go on in college and looking back, I’m very grateful that I was the designated driver while there. I tell my story and encourage you to do as I did in: Volunteer For Designated Driver.
Please leave me any comments you may have on this post or on any of the posts in this series in the comments sections. I’d love to hear your stories of interactions with friends and what you’ve learned, and how you’re still connecting with them.
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