Real friendships are worth more than gold. If you can rely on your true friends during tough times, then you have hit the jackpot. Never let those friends go. The great thing about those friends is that they are also amazing work relationships that you get to tap into for free. Let me elaborate.

There are three of us that have been friends for the past 24 years. Some years were spent apart and some years, we were closer. A lot of life happens in two decades. Marriages, divorces, health scares, kids, etc. They stepped up and helped my husband when I needed to go away to get help. This meant the world to me. I could not even comprehend looking at a calendar, but they showed up to put together a schedule of who would be at my house to help with the kids on what day. They knew that I couldn’t do it and they knew that my family would need that help, but would not know how to ask.

I owe them my life. Not only were they here when I could not be here, they were encouraging. They were reminding my husband why he loves me. They were setting up my home to be electronic free because I was without electronics. They were sending me letters and candy. They were everything to everyone because that was what we needed. They could never be replaced.

What’s even better is that they were never resentful towards me when I got better. They were ready to celebrate with me. I have had some crazy career aspirations in the past year and they are here for it. They listen, they have input, they support. I have always wanted to write my life story (and I will, but it will take some time). It was my friend’s idea to start with a kids book. It was a crazy idea to me, I mean I just have never considered myself a good mom so why would I write a kid’s book. She pointed out that I have so many kids and why wouldn’t I? So I did. Alice Needs A Hug: Snuggle Through Trauma, A Parenting Through Snuggle Series is my first book and it comes out May 19. It will be available on Amazon for sure and hopefully other places (just waiting to find out).

I am so excited to be a month away from officially being a published author. This was an endeavor that I thought I was still years away from becoming, but it was my dear friend that has given me the gift so soon. It was also through her connections that I found my publisher.

As we get older, finding friends gets harder and I am all too aware of that fact. My advice is to go first and be vulnerable. This is the advice I have read and heard from multiple other author’s and speakers in the mental health space so I cannot take credit (nor do I exactly remember who to give the credit to). The worst thing that can happen is that they say no. Oh well, take the loss and move to the next person. The best thing that can happen is a lifelong friendship that can quite literally change your life.