It sure feels like Christmas after this review! Ratings and reviews are hard to come by but this one from Bed Night Stories Book Blog made it feel like Christmas! Keep it coming and thank you!
The Excellent Adventures of Honey and Hubie is a delightful children’s story that combines imaginative adventures with an important lesson about friendship. Honey and Hubie navigate a magical world full of colorful characters, teaching young readers the value of loyalty, kindness, and teamwork along the way. With engaging storytelling and a vibrant, make-believe setting, this book is sure to captivate children’s imaginations while delivering a heartfelt message.
Why is it important to know who your real friends are? Have you set a criteria on how you choose your friends? It is important because many come wearing the “friend” tag but only a very few make it there in reality. There are the fake friends who are not really your friend but they are there for what they can get from you. There are the ones who are envious and envy does not make for a good friendship. Anything good that happens to you is as if something bad had happened to them! Beware of such so called friends because they are not your friend! Then there are the fair-weather ones who are there when all is well but are nowhere to be seen when things go down south!
What makes for a good friend? There are certain markers for a good friendship. Trust is one of them. You should be able to trust one another and when it’s not there, the trustworthiness, it is hard to build a friendship.
Honesty is another aspect that is critical for a friendship. One of the hallmarks of true friendship is truth. Be truthful even if it hurts.
Mutual benefits of a true friendship. You add to each other’s lives and that there is a give and take and not just take all the time.
Perhaps, the most important aspect is you like each other and you enjoy each other’s company. Time spent with a friend is time well-spent. Laughter, talks, smiles and a genuine affection for each other are all important for a true friendship to thrive and to grow.
Below are some quotes that speak to what a friendship is not and this too is important.
“You find yourself making all the sacrifices, going the extra mile to make your fake friend happy. Notice those friends that will never choose you over their comfort.” Unknown
“You never know who your real friends are until you are in need. You’ll be surprised who shows up.”
“Before you count your friends, make sure you can count on them. Some friends are only around when they want something from you but are never there when you need something from them.” Rashida Rowe
“Crocodiles are easy. They try to kill and eat you. People are harder, they pretend to be your friend first.” Steve Irwin
Hmm…..
Finally,
“Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.” Eleanor Roosevelt
Watch for those footprints. Not all who profess “friendship” is your friend. It’s better to have a few friends who love and care about you than many who are never there when you need them. Choose your friends carefully.
“Only those who care about you can hear you when you’re quiet.”
“When you are your own best friend, you don’t endlessly seek out relationships, friendships, and validation from the wrong sources because you realize that the only approval and validation you need is your own.” Mandy Hale
How often have you looked to others for validation, to lift you up, to make you feel important, to give their approval and to make you feel loved? I know I have and I have found myself wallowing in self-pity or even questioning my self-worth as a person. I am learning that loving yourself comes first. YOU are important, what you tell yourself is important. Be kind and gentle here because the way you talk to yourself is important. Work on yourself, it is the key element to get you out of the rut. What rut? The stuck in the mud rut. Your goal is to get you moving to a better life and to feel comfortable with yourself.
Invest in Yourself
This may sound like a new concept because we spend a lot of our energy and money in so many materialistic things but in our rush to please ourselves, we forget the all-important person who is left wanting. Invest in time spent with yourself, this doesn’t take much but dedication. A walk in nature to nurture your soul, meditation to look inwards and find peace, working out to bolster your health or even spend time talking to yourself. If you have the means, pamper yourself. Go for a massage, get a facial, get a manicure or a pedicure, and no it doesn’t mean you are vain. It just means you are putting yourself first and showing love to the person who matters the most and that is YOU.
Invest in your Environment
Your home is your castle? Work to make it that way. Spruce up your garden, plant flowers that give you joy when they bloom and fill your space with color. Redo your living area and or your bedroom and add things to make you feel comfortable. Make it a place you love spending time in and love coming back to but most of all, a place where you can relax and pamper your soul.
Get Rid of the Unwanted
This is hard. If you want to be your own best friend, you need to make space for the important things. Get rid of the things that bog you down, the people who make you question who you are because they are in a bad place in their lives. If their only goal in life is to bring you down to their level of despair, let them go! Sometimes getting rid of the unwanted makes room for what is needed. New friends, love, laughter, joy and peace.
Say this to yourself and mean it.
“You are hands down, my favorite person.” Unknown
Being your own best friend takes time as it is with everything that matters. Be forgiving, speak softly and lovingly to yourself, encourage yourself, love yourself and work towards looking in the mirror and loving the person staring back at you. Be your own validation and life will get easier.
How to be your own best friend:
“Look in the mirror and give yourself a high-five.
Ask yourself often, “how are you feeling?”
Cry when you need to.
Give yourself a hug.
Forgive yourself for going back to old patterns and behaviors.
Encourage yourself with words you would use to encourage a friend.” Unknown
Good luck and I am on the self-same journey. See you on the other side.
A good question because I’ve asked myself that same question many times over. I tend to be a stickler for rules so being my friend is hard because those expectations I have of how a friend should be is sometimes a barrier to true friendship. However, I don’t ask for more than I am willing to give.
As I friend, I am loyal, trustworthy, there when you need me and if help is needed I am ready and willing to do whatever is necessary but sometimes that willingness opens up the door to someone taking advantage of you. It has happened and some of those people are no longer in my life.
“Some people will only be there for you as long as you have something they need. When you no longer serve a purpose, they will leave. The good news is, if you tough it out, you’ll eventually weed these people out of your life and be left with some great people you can count on. We rarely lose friends, we just gradually figure out who our real ones are.” Darren John Maxwell
I had posted something the other day. In the article I made reference to something I was dealing with. The phone rang and there he was, someone who was close to me because at one time we were more than friends. Anyway, he asked, “What is going on?”
ME: “How did you know?”
HIM: “I read your post and I know you better than most people.”
So I told him and it was a good talk. I was thankful for the caring he showed and that folks is what friends are about. They show up when you least expect them to. Showing up is one very important aspect of friendship along with all the other things I mentioned.
“Good friends are like stars. You don’t always see them, but you know they’re always there.” Christy Evans
“Sometimes you need someone to be there for you. Not to fix the problem or offer advice or do anything in particular, but simply to be there. To show up. To be present with what you’re feeling. To see what you’re going through. To see you, understand you.” Unknown
Can men and women just be friends? This is the question that popped up, “When Harry Met Sally,” and sent some of us scrambling for answers. The answer as far as I’m concerned is that it is next to impossible in most cases.
I used to be the proverbial tomboy in my younger days and as such I had some wonderful friendships with the boys I hung out with. It was nothing sexual but of the innocent variety. I had my pigtails tucked under my cap and my ensemble of shorts and t-shirt had seen better days but I was for all purposes one of the boys.
It all changed when I turned sixteen. I got asked out on my first date. He was cute and I accepted. It was also the first time that I had worn my long hair down leaving it brushed and shiny and I wore a dress for the very first time! Lo and behold, things changed after that. I was no longer “one of the boys” but someone they wanted to dance with and spend time with. However, this friendship thing was still there. I learned that boys and later men make very good friends. There is none of the bitchiness, envy or jealousy, it was just straightforward, “I’m your friend,” stuff and all that it entails.
Later during my university days “friendship” with young men was still going strong. I had lots of men friends and although some were happy to be just a friend, others wanted more and that became complicated and made things difficult.
Now, I’m finding out that men are not as simple as they seem. There is a thing called, “friends with benefits,” and it is not my thing and never has been. I’m seeking the pure friendship variety like I used to know when life was simple and innocence was front and center. The problem is no matter how hard I try to make it clear right from the start it never fails before it starts heading in an unwanted direction. Not too long ago, I had this conversation with a male friend. We’ve known each other for quite some time and we’ve done walks, lunches and dinners but nothing more. Well, just a hug or a peck on the cheek as friends do. Here’s how the conversation went.
Me: Wouldn’t it be nice to have a Pyjama Party? We can watch some movies and just talk?
Him: I would like some snacks.
Me: Sure, I can get that.
I was thinking this is going great. Just some company with no hassles whatsoever!
Him: I don’t think I can do that!
Me: Why not?
Him: I CAN’T!”
Hmm…does everything have to be sexual? He was honest and that was a good thing but I wanted my good old days back and the reality is, those days have flown the coop!
Let me ask you:
“Can men and women ever just be friends?”
“Friends are those rare people who ask how we are and then wait to hear the answer.” Ed Cunningham
“When you are your own best friend, you don’t endlessly seek out relationships, friendships, and validation from the wrong sources because you realize that the only approval and validation you need is your own.” Mandy Hale
How often have you looked to others for validation, to lift you up, to make you feel important, to give their approval and to make you feel loved? I know I have and found myself wallowing in self-pity or even questioning “me” as a person. I am learning that loving yourself comes first. YOU are important, what you tell yourself is important. Be kind and gentle here because the way you talk to yourself is important. Work on yourself, it is the key element to get you out of the rut. What rut? The stuck in the mud rut. Your goal is to get you moving to a better life and to feel comfortable with yourself.
Invest in Yourself
This may sound like a new concept because we spend a lot of our energy and money investing in materialistic things but in our rush to please ourselves, we forget the all-important person who is left wanting. Invest in time spent with yourself, this doesn’t take much but dedication. A walk in nature to nurture your soul, meditation to look inwards and find peace, working out to bolster your health or even spend time talking to yourself. If you have the means, pamper yourself. Go for a massage, get a facial, get a manicure or pedicure and no, it doesn’t mean you are vain. It just means you are putting yourself first and showing love to the person who matters the most and that is YOU.
Invest in your Environment
Your home is your castle? Work to make it that way. Spruce up your garden, plant flowers that give you joy when they bloom and fill your space with color. Redo your living area and or your bedroom and add things to make you feel comfortable. Make it a place you love spending time in and love coming back to but most of all, a place where you can relax and pamper your soul.
Get Rid of the Unwanted
This is hard. If you want to be your own best friend, you need to make space for the important things. Get rid of the things that bog you down, the people who make you question who you are because they are in a bad place in their lives. If their only goal in life is to bring you down to their level of despair, let them go! Sometimes getting rid of the unwanted makes room for what is needed. New friends, love, laughter, joy and peace.
Say this to yourself and mean it.
“You are hands down, my favorite person.” Unknown
Being your own best friend takes time as it is with everything that matters. Be forgiving, speak softly and lovingly to yourself, encourage yourself, love yourself and work towards looking in the mirror and loving the person staring back at you. Be your own validation and life will get easier.
How to be your own best friend:
“Look in the mirror and give yourself a high-five.
Ask yourself often, “how are you feeling?”
Cry when you need to.
Give yourself a hug.
Forgive yourself for going back to old patterns and behaviors.
Encourage yourself with words you would use to encourage a friend.” Unknown
“Good friends are like stars. You don’t always see them, but you know they’re always there.” Unknown
Yesterday, I got an unexpected message from a friend I hadn’t seen or heard from in a long while.
It said: “Hi T, checking on you, you doing ok?”
I replied I had hurt my knee and he said, “Cut back on the workouts! Wrap it up or put a band on it.”
We talked about meeting up when the weather turned and got better. It was short and sweet but “friends” are just that. They show up when least expected and they show concern and caring for your well-being.
“Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.” Eleanor Roosevelt.
There are many types of friendships. However, to call someone a friend, “the relationship must be long-lasting, it must be positive, and it must involve cooperation.” The deepest type of friendship is “one in which we feel seen and loved for exactly who we are,” and the lowest form is the user-based type. “It is the kind that is based on selfishness and instability” and it is all take but when there is no more giving to be had, it unravels and disappears.
I choose who my friends are carefully, therefore, I don’t have a huge friendship circle. I have acquaintances who I meet infrequently but I don’t let them into my heart, only a few make it there. Fair weather friends they are aplenty and there are those who profess to love you but when you need a shoulder to lean on, they are nowhere to be seen.
“When friendships are real, they are not glass threads or frost work, but the solidest things we can know.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
Choose your friends carefully or who you call or give the label of “friend” to. Friends matter but keep in mind that quality is better than quantity. Give your true friends the loving and caring they deserve and keep them close to your heart because sometimes they take the place of family and that is saying a whole lot.
“Friends are like walls, sometimes you lean on them and sometimes it’s good just knowing they’re there.” Unknown
I’ll finish by saying, “Thank you, you made my day,” to the friend who called out of the blue. Yes, I’ll cut back on the workouts and I’ll remember I’m not a spring chicken anymore but my body still thinks I am!
It was my “get out of jail” day, a self-imposed one, and it was nice for a change. The four walls were closing in and just going to the “fields” for a walk wasn’t going to do it this time around. I needed change.
I was looking forward to meeting up with a friend but the day started out with problems. The internet wasn’t working and so it was a mad dash to get in touch with the provider. Then I needed to get changed and it was time for something better than my normal wear of sweatpants and a ratty top to match. I decided on jeans and a nice shirt. I was still irritated by the internet thing but I made it to the cafe on time because “punctual” is my middle name. As usual, the girlfriend was late. “Suzy come lately” showed up 15 minutes late and breezed in with a smile on her face.
The cafe was crowded and the noise level was going up as the “8o” something group at the next table had downed a couple of cups of coffee by now and were high on something or other. Caffeine? I’m not sure but they were a raucous bunch.
We had our usual breakfast of eggs, bacon, a small salad and two cups of coffee each. We were loosening up as well and could see why the group next to us was having so much fun. Something in the coffee?
Anyway, we talked about a whole array of topics and as two single women, it came back to men in general. Nothing much had changed in her world and neither had it in mine.
Two hours in and I was ready for my quiet time again. She had her Tai Chi class next and I needed a fix. The bakery was right across from the cafe so I headed there after taking leave. I was hell-bent on having a really nice day and what better way to do it than with a hot cup of coffee and a slice of cheesecake! In case you’re wondering, the fetish, the cheesecake fetish is still there but it is down to twice a week.
“Sometimes you need someone to be there for you. Not to fix the problem or offer advice or do anything in particular, but simply to be there. To show up. To be present with what you’re feeling. To see what you’re going through. To see you, understand you.” Unknown
Can men and women just be friends? This is the question that popped up, “When Harry Met Sally,” and sent some of us scrambling for answers. The answer as far as I’m concerned is that it is next to impossible in most cases.
I used to be the proverbial tomboy in my younger days and as such I had some wonderful friendships with the boys I hung out with. It was nothing sexual but of the innocent variety. I had my pigtails tucked under my cap and my ensemble of shorts and t-shirt had seen better days but I was for all purposes one of the boys.
It all changed when I turned sixteen. I got asked out on my first date. He was cute and I accepted. It was also the first time that I had worn my long hair down leaving it brushed and shiny and I wore a dress for the very first time! Lo and behold, things changed after that. I was no longer “one of the boys” but someone they wanted to dance with and spend time with. However, this friendship thing was still there. I learned that boys and later men make very good friends. There is none of the bitchiness, envy or jealousy, it was just straightforward, “I’m your friend,” stuff and all that it entails.
Later during my university days “friendship” with young men was still going strong. I had lots of men friends and although some were happy to be just a friend, others wanted more and that became complicated and made things difficult.
Now, I’m finding out that men are not as simple as they seem. There is a thing called, “friends with benefits,” and it is not my thing and never has been. I’m seeking the pure friendship variety like I used to know when life was simple and innocence was front and center. The problem is no matter how hard I try to make it clear right from the start it never fails before it starts heading in an unwanted direction. Not too long ago, I had this conversation with a male friend. We’ve known each other for quite some time and we’ve done walks, lunches and dinners but nothing more. Well, just a hug or a peck on the cheek as friends do. Here’s how the conversation went.
Me: Wouldn’t it be nice to have a Pyjama Party? We can watch some movies and just talk?
Him: I would like some snacks.
Me: Sure, I can get that.
I was thinking this is going great. Just some company with no hassles whatsoever!
Him: I don’t think I can do that!
Me: Why not?
Him: I CAN’T!”
Hmm…does everything have to be sexual? He was honest and that was a good thing but I wanted my good old days back and the reality is, those days have flown the coop!
Let me ask you:
“Can men and women ever just be friends?”
“Friends are those rare people who ask how we are and then wait to hear the answer.” Ed Cunningham
“When you are your own best friend, you don’t endlessly seek out relationships, friendships, and validation from the wrong sources because you realize that the only approval and validation you need is your own.” Mandy Hale
How often have you looked to others for validation, to lift you up, to make you feel important, to gain their approval and to make you feel loved? I know I have and I have found myself wallowing in self-pity or even questioning my worth as a person. I am learning that loving yourself comes first. YOU are important, what you tell yourself is important and who you are and what you will stand for and won’t is important. Be kind and gentle here because the way you talk to yourself is important. Work on yourself, it is the key element to get you out of the rut. What rut? The stuck in the mud rut. Your goal is to get you moving to a better life and to feel comfortable with yourself.
Invest in Yourself
This may sound like a new concept because we spend a lot of our energy and money on materialistic things and also in pleasing others that we forget the all-important person who is left wanting. Invest in time spent with yourself, this doesn’t take much but dedication. A walk in nature to nurture your soul, meditation to look inwards and find peace, working out to bolster your health or even spend time talking to yourself. If you have the means, pamper yourself. Go for a massage, get a facial, get a manicure or pedicure and no, it doesn’t mean you are vain. It just means you are putting yourself first and showing love to the person who matters the most and that is YOU.
Invest in your Environment
Your home is your castle? Work to make it that way. Spruce up your garden, plant flowers that give you joy when they bloom and fill your space with color. Redo your living area and or your bedroom and add things to make you feel comfortable. Make it a place you love spending time in and love coming back to but most of all, a place where you can relax and pamper your soul.
Get Rid of the Unwanted
This is hard. If you want to be your own best friend, you need to make space for the important things. Get rid of the things that bog you down, the people who make you question who you are because they are in a bad place in their lives. If their only goal in life is to bring you down to their level of despair, let them go! Sometimes getting rid of the unwanted makes room for what is needed. New friends, love, laughter, joy and peace.
Say this to yourself and mean it.
“You are hands down, my favorite person.” Unknown
Being your own best friend takes time as it is with everything that matters. Be forgiving, speak softly and lovingly to yourself, encourage yourself, love yourself and work towards looking in the mirror and loving the person staring back at you. Be your own validation and life, my friend, will get easier.
How to be your own best friend:
“Look in the mirror and give yourself a high-five.
Ask yourself often, “how are you feeling?”
Cry when you need to.
Give yourself a hug.
Forgive yourself for going back to old patterns and behaviors.
Encourage yourself with words you would use to encourage a friend.” Unknown
Good luck and I am on the self-same journey.
We Can Do This!
The sun is shining for a change but it’s still cold. Time to bundle up, step out into nature and to love what is waiting for me out there. It’s time for a walk.
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