Like most of us, our family have been separated for a lot of the past year – babies have been born to nieces and nephews that we cannot visit, grandparents are getting older and we are missing out on special time with them, and even our adult kids are now no longer able to pop in and get a hearty hug the way they used to.

For those with younger children, we see how the past year has isolated so many of them, affecting friendship groups and personal development, which they are now grappling with as they return to school.

And still so much is in flux.

Let your friends know they are missed

But there is always something we can do – even at arm’s length to ensure that our loved ones know they are loved, that friends know they are missed, treasured and valued, and we can feel we are not completely letting our social world disintegrate under the pressure of outside forces.

Firstly: keep talking. Whether by phone or video call, email or old fashioned snail mail, keep talking to each other, and be willing to have difficult conversations. One thing I have valued so much is the ability of friends to ‘get real’ and be able to talk about how hard they find things without fear of upsetting the other. It is so much easier to process fear and loneliness when you are able to name it and bring it into the open.

Secondly: don’t be afraid to ask for what you want. When you are in contact, encourage others to ask for what they want. Do they value little gifts? Would they prefer alone time with you talking one on one, or are they desperate for a group gathering filled with jokes and nonsense? And make sure you are asking for what you want too. People are not mind readers and do not know your own love language – so help them to be better friends and family by letting them know!

Thirdly: hiding away, avoiding everyone just because you don’t want to be a burden or to trouble anyone with your needs is not helping! People love you and they worry about you and they really, really want to help you feel as happy as you can.

Keeping in touch, even just by text, means such a lot, whether you are giving support or receiving it – because let’s face it, everything circles around and where you may be asking for support today, you can be sure you will be giving it someday soon.

Family and friends are treasures to be nurtured

If there is one thing this last year has taught us it is that friends and family are treasures to be nurtured and cared for. They deserve honesty, respect and all the love we can muster, and so do we, every single day.

You, dear reader, are an amazing human and are continually shining a light for the world to enjoy. And for that, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.