Guest Post: Stephanie at The Cookie Battle

Good Saturday morning to ya! I am in such high spirits because I am THIS close to being done with getting all my boxes unpacked, the other apartment cleaned and turned in, and settling into my own new routine. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all my guest posts this week and I have a few more for you…so, today, please welcome Stephanie at The Cookie Battle. She wrote a post on friendships…something you really just can’t get enough of.

Hey guys! I’m Stephanie from The Cookie Battle and I’m so excited to be doing a guest post for Lisa because she is one of my absolute favorite bloggers!

When Lisa first put out the APB for guest posters, I responded right away volunteering myself. When I asked her what she would like a post about, she replied to write what I was passionate about. Ok so no pressure there or anything. I mean, I’m passionate about at least 1,000 things…music, books, movies, animals, food (of course), running, spin, reality TV, magazines, hiking, coffee…really the list could go on and on for days. I’m just a passionate person.

But when I really sat down and thought about what I am MOST passionate about, what means the most to me in my life, the answer was obvious. My relationships.

I firmly believe that the basis for any healthy lifestyle is strong relationships. Not just romantic ones (though those are certainly great) but friendships.

My friends are the ones who listen to me when I have a bad day and eat a whole box of cookies (not that I do that…oh wait, yes I do). They are the ones that join Weight Watchers with me, go hiking with me, and give me a hug (whether it be real or virtual) when I feel like my whole world is falling apart. They are there for every laugh, every tear, every milestone.

It doesn’t matter if I talk to them everyday, constantly blow up their Facebook wall, or meet for dinner every week. What matters is that I know no matter what that I can turn to them and they will be there for me. And I hope they know they can count on me too.

According to this article in Self Magazine (http://www.self.com/health/2009/10/how-many-friends-do-you-need) there are four kinds of friends:

(1) the acquaintance, someone you’d chat with on the street or at a local café, who gives you a sense of belonging;

(2) the casual friend, a “grab lunch” pal who often serves a specific purpose, such as a tennis or running partner;

(3) the close buddy, an intimate, trustworthy comrade you can say anything to; and

(4) the lifer, who’s as deep and forever as family. (She/he might even be family—experts say that your best friend can be a blood relative or a spouse if that person satisfies your emotional needs.)

I very recently went through a long, bad breakup and was surprised by the outpouring of support I received from all of my friends, whether they were just the “casual friend” or the “lifers.” When I felt like my whole world was falling apart, my friends were there to hold it together.  Without them, the stress of my situation would have undoubtedly taken years off of my life. No green juice packs that kind of antioxidant punch!

“A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are.” – Anonymous

Do you have awesome friends? Let them know!