We are blessed to live in an era where travel is relatively easy. However, sometimes life does get in the way so you may need some new ideas to make time for long distance friendships. I realized recently that aside from a new friendship group that my partner and I belong to, my oldest friends all live in different towns and cities ranging from a friend who lives 30 minutes away to others who live six and eight hours away. A couple of wonderful friends whom I got really close to while at college even life in different countries. It was quite sad to realize that most of my closest and oldest friends live so far away from me however I’m so happy they are enjoying their lives and following their dreams that it doesn’t get me down for too long.
It’s easier than ever before to hop on a bus, plane, or train to visit new places and spend time with old friends, but getting the time off work or looking for someone to look after your pets or kids can be a nightmare. It’s tricky enough when there are just the two of you, and if your BFF group hosts three members or more, it may be difficult to line all of your schedules up.
So here are some ways to make time for your long distance friends ranging from fitting in some quality time around your busy, weekly schedules to planning some epic trips for you all to look forward to.
1. Use An Instant Messenger To Share Everyday Things
This is one of my favorite ways to keep in touch with my long distance pals. It has especially come in useful with one of my oldest friends who just moved away after she'd recently become a mom. It's so great because she sends me updates of what her and her little one are up to and how their general day to day life is and it's great to see them so happy. I personally use WhatsApp as I find it really easy to use and you can send photos and voice clips for free. Plus it works across an array of devices, so as long as you and your friend have it, it doesn't matter what kind of phone you both have. BBM from BlackBerry is also a good choice for those who used to have BlackBerry phones or still do — it is also now available on Android, iPhone, and Windows Phone.
2. Book A Holiday
There are times when you just need a holiday. You might have been working really hard recently or you may just want some quality time with your BFFs. You could go as big or small as you like by choosing a girly spa weekend to relax and unwind or even a week or two in Europe. Wherever you end up going, pick somewhere that you all really want to go to, let your hair down, and enjoy yourselves. The best part is you'll have each other all to yourselves and won't have to share your friends with anyone else, which could be just what you need if you don't get to see each other very often.
3. Hand Write Letters To Each Other
I absolutely adore receiving letters from my friends. One of my friends in particular is so amazing at staying in touch via snail mail and I love reading her handwritten words and imagining what she might have been doing when she wrote them. Having had a few of my close friends move far away, we have relied on good old snail mail as a nostalgic way to keep in touch and to this day I can still recognize who my letters are from based solely on the handwritten address. Coming home to a letter or a package from your friend is the absolute best .
4. Embark On A Road Trip
Road trips are really fun and can be a great way to spend time with your nearest and dearest. They're also a super thrifty way to spend time together while seeing some sights. If you're really on a budget you could plan your road trip around the places that you and your friends live. You can take them to all your favorite beauty spots and cool hangouts and vice-versa. The brilliant thing about this is if you plan your trip well in advance, you can all stay at each others' homes to save on hotel costs. That's super scrimping!
5. Run Away Together To A Retreat
Sometimes life gets on top of us and we all need a break from the world. Retreats are a great way to reconnect with yourself, your friendships, and reignite one of your passions. This could be nature, in which case you could rent a log cabin and spend some time together in the wilderness. You might both be craving some spiritual guidance and in that case you could attend a wellness or yoga retreat to get back in tune with yourself, while also spending quality time with your bestie. Or you may both be in a creative lull and need a little inspiration and if that's the issue you could give yourselves some much needed inspiration by heading to a writers' retreat or attending an inspirational course such as one delivered by The Blogcademy.
6. Use Skype Or FaceTime
Skype and FaceTime are like the comfort blankets of long distance BFF relationships. If you're having a bad day and there's no-one around to talk to, video call your BFF and give them all the gory details. Just seeing their face and hearing their voice will be enough to lift your spirits at least a little. Make it a regular thing, for instance a weekly slot that suits you both, so you can keep updated with each others' lives and share all of the good, the bad, and the ugly.
7. Go On A City Break Together With Your Loved Ones
It's great to share awesome moments in your life with all of the folks you love rather than separating them into different segments of your life. Obviously there are times when you and your partner may wish to go on a romantic break alone together, but other times it's fun to get a gang together. You and your BFFs could bring your partners with you or go on a kid friendly or pet friendly holiday depending on whether your children are of the two or four legged variety. It can be difficult to get time off work and you might not have enough holiday allocation left to go on two separate holidays, so why not bring everyone on board and enjoy a new city together?
Reconnect with your BFFs and make time for your friendships in new and exciting ways!
Images: EliDeFaria; MaciejSerafinowicz; AnnieSpratt; CarliJean; WilliamIven; SeanDuBois; AralTasher; SonjaGuina /Unsplash
