Category Archives: Friendship

“Friends are as companions on a journey…”

Posted on by

“Friends are as companions on a journey, who ought to aid each other to persevere in the road to a happier life.”

– Pythagoras, pre-Socratic Greek philosopher

Photo from Flickr byFunkyah

Photo from Flickr by Funkyah

It is said that Pythagoras was the first man to call himself a philosopher,  a lover of wisdom.  Sources indicate that his ideas influenced Plato, and through him, all of western philosophy.

If this quote regarding being a friend to others was your predominate goal for each and every day, what results would be produced, and what level of happiness would you and others experience?

EXERCISE

Select one friend, family member, or colleague today to travel with to support and encourage their journey to a happier life. Imagine a world where everyone did this!

“I get by with a little help from my friends.”

Posted on by

“I get by with a little help from my friends.”

– John Lennon, singer/songwriter and member of the Beatles

540Image from Flickr by betsyweber.

Over the past month, Wendy and I received more than a little help from our friends. I’m happy to say that with this help, she and my father are now safely back in Michigan to spend the spring, summer, and fall seasons.

We had various medical, personal, and logistical issues, and our friends sure came through to help us through some difficult times.

Exercise:

Take the time today to thank those close friends who have been there for you to provide that “little help” that is so often needed.

Make a point to both reciprocate these gestures of kindness whenever possible – and to watch out for others who need a hand, even if those individuals did not help you previously. Imagine how the world would look if we all followed Lennon’s coaching.

“A true friend never gets in your way…”

Posted on by

“A true friend never gets in your way unless you happen to be going down.”

– Arnold H. Glasow, author

Image from blog.bcwinstitute.org

Image from blog.bcwinstitute.org

Do you know who your true friends are? Today’s quote presents a bit of a test to help you identify the good ones. These are the people who support us in living our best lives and stand for us being all we can be.

At the same time, they are also the people who are there during life’s challenging and difficult times to lend us a shoulder to lean on – or carry us completely when things are at their darkest.

Exercise:

Thank the friends around you for being there in both good and difficult times, and while doing so, look within yourself to see how you stack up as a friend to others.

“If you go looking for a friend, you’re going to find they’re very scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you’ll find them everywhere.”

Posted on by

“If you go looking for a friend, you’re going to find they’re very scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you’ll find them everywhere.”

– Zig Ziglar, best-selling author and motivational speaker

Among the many positive qualities exhibited by Zig Ziglar was his focus on giving, and being generous to others. In this quote, he encourages all of us to give of ourselves through acts of sincere friendship – which in turn will encourage those around us to reciprocate.

The key is that we go first, instead of hoping that others will go first. There may be potential risk and the possibility of rejection – however, we know that without such risk, our lives will be a bit emptier.

Exercise:

Make the extra effort today to further extend your friendship efforts to those around you. Take note of the positive reactions you receive as a result of your sincere gestures.

“A friend is a loved one…”

Posted on by

“A friend is a loved one who awakens your life in order to free the wild possibilities within you.”

– John O’Donohue, poet, philosopher and Catholic priest

QC #1016a

Someone once told me that friends are the family we choose for ourselves. That puts friendships in a very special category of relationships.

One of the key attributes of our friends is that they are tuned into our personal life frequencies. We are far better together than apart.

Exercise:

What are two to three areas of your life that need to be awakened? What would you consider to be a wild possibility in these areas?

Who are the friends that bring this special spark to your life, and how can you be this kind of friend for others?