How to Support Our Friends in 2021

How to Support Our Friends in 2021

For most people, friendship is a constant in life, as it should be. Loving our friends, connecting with them and sharing things together is one of the joys of being a person on this planet, and it can sometimes be easy to forget that. And just as enjoying life with the help of your friends is important, supporting one another through the good and the bad is, too. No matter what happens, being there for one another is a big part of what friends are for, and there’s never been a year more suited to that than 2020.

Between a global pandemic and a slew of other wild world events, 2020 was a year that taught us a lot about creative ways to be there for one another. And as social distancing continues in many places and people continue to feel the personal impacts of the pandemic, 2021 will continue that friendly support so many people need. If you’re one of those people on the hunt for how to best support your friends in 2021, there are so many little things you can do. While every friendship is personal and every person has different needs, you can still be there for one another however suits you best. Here are a few ways you can try it out.

Support From Afar

Even if 2020 is over, that does not mean the pandemic is over. In fact, many places are in their tightest lockdowns yet due to high case numbers of COVID. That being said, one of the best ways to support one another is keeping each other safe in 2021. Have a video chat hang where you play games or watch movies from afar. It’s an easy — and safe — way to relax.

Do Nothing Together

2020 has been a stressful year to say the least, and sometimes all you need to do is plop down with a pal and simply veg out together. Grab some snacks, watch a movie, talk or do whatever else helps you relax. Rest and relaxation are nothing to be ashamed of, especially when you and your friends are in it together.

Support Them in Tough Times

Quarantine and the stresses of the pandemic may have brought on tough times for many people in all different ways. While some of your friends are struggling with loss of a loved one, others may be struggling with all kinds of trauma or mental health problems worsening in isolation. Whether or not you can be there for them in person, offering your support to friends who are going through rough patches can help them feel loved and supported through it. Especially when people are alone more than ever, offering to talk, video chat or even sending supportive text messages can make all the difference.

Offer Positivity

While toxic positivity and the good vibes only mindset doesn’t have a place in 2021, offering positive support to your friends is one of the best ways to help everyone feel a little bit better. Positivity in friendship can be as simple as being happy to see your friends, offering them positive affirmations and reminding them that you’re grateful to have them in your life. Especially if your friend tends to be a words of affirmation type, this can be truly helpful.

Encourage Their Dreams

After the rough year of 2020, stepping into 2021 could push people towards living their lives a bit fuller in the future, and that often involves going after their dreams and aspirations. Supporting your friends isn’t just about supporting them when they’re down, but also about encouraging them when they want to reach for something they want. In 2021, cheering your friends on should be a main language of love.

Ask Them How They’re Doing

Sometimes, it can feel more and more like the world is full of people with their own concerns who don’t have time to listen and care for one another, but you have the power to bust that feeling right open with a simple question. You’d be surprised at how far asking your friends how they’re doing can go. And when you ask, make sure to truly listen when they tell you. Make it known that you want to know what’s really going on in their life.

Be a Safe Space

Similar to asking your friends how they’re doing, making yourself known as an available safe space for your friends to confide is a great way to show support in the present and continuing forward in your friendship. While it’s important to set boundaries and care for yourself properly, you can achieve that as well as being a safe, supportive place for friends who need it.

Keep Each Other Accountable

When you want to support your friends in achieving their goals and dreams — while they do the same for you — making an accountability agreement or having an accountability partner can be a fantastic way to build comradery, keep in touch and stick to your goals. No matter what you hold one another accountable for, accountability is just another way to stay supportive together.

2021: The Year of Supporting Your Friends

There are so many ways to support your friends in 2021, whether you’re radiating positivity from the same household or across the country. By being a safe space and sticking by them through the good and the bad, 2021 could be the best year of your friendship yet.