Welcome Free Rangers. Thank you for joining us for our first official podcast episode. We start the conversation about how Gen X is thriving in mid-life with our dear friend Addison Ore. When we were dreaming up our podcast, we thought about the people who we knew who were thriving with positivity, humor and grace. Who out there is flourishing and showing us how it’s done. One of the first names on our list was Addison Ore. 

We first met Addison Ore when she was Executive Director of Triad Health Project here in Greensboro, NC. We loved her tenacity and ability to bring groups together for a common cause. Now, she’s reminding us about the importance of friendships with her dinner parties, constant shoutouts to great people in her life and a face full of joy as she enjoys her life. 

As we get older, we complain about the wrinkles, the weight gain, the sore knees, but we can’t wallow in that space too long. Instead, now is the time to lean into the things that actually matter like meaningful conversations with friends, time with loved ones and enjoying the things that make our hearts flutter. 

Life right now is complicated. The news is full of negativity. Work never seems to get done. Leaning into friendships can help us with emotional resilience during these trying times. They are the secret weapon that each of us can use at any time to pull ourselves through crazy times. Great friends are your support system that introduce you to new perspectives and opportunities while keeping loneliness at bay.

Remember though that great friendships deserve our time and attention. Prioritize friend time by looking out for each other. 

Here are some meaningful ways that you can quickly connect with your friends:

• Send a dear friend a text message to brighten their day and let your friend know that you are thinking of them.
• Consider using free video chat apps like Marco Polo to send each other quick videos to connect.
• Leave each other voice messages.
• Schedule a regular catch-up phone call even if it’s for 15 minutes. 
• Find time to enjoy shared interests. Does your friend love the same book or TV program as you? Enjoy what you both love and make time to discuss it. 

Thank you for being our friend. And thank you for listening. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.