Machona Podcast

Signs of a good friend 

Friends will come and go in your life. No matter how long your friendships last, the most important thing is your friends’ acceptance of you for who you are. A good friend walks the talk and shows that they care by their actions – big and small. 

A good friend: 

- is there for you, no matter what 

- doesn’t judge you 

- doesn’t put you down or deliberately hurt your feelings

- is kind and respectful to you 

- is someone whose company you enjoy 

- is loyal 

- is trustworthy and willing to tell you the truth, even when it’s hard for you to hear 

- laughs with you 

- sticks around when things get tough 

- makes you smile 

- is there to listen 

- comforts you when you cry.  

How to be a good friend 

If you treat the people around you in the ways described above, then you’re already a good friend to them. But it’s not always easy to know how to be there for your friends. 

Listen to them 

Try to understand a situation from your friend’s point of view. Ask questions to get a sense of the problem or issue, but the main thing is to listen to them. You don’t have to have all the answers, and don’t assume that your friend wants advice – they might just want to talk so that they can work it out for themselves. 

Get the facts 

If your friend has a medical or mental health issue, a good way to offer support is to learn about what they’ve been diagnosed with. Being interested in what they’re going through shows you care, and that you plan to stick around no matter what’s going on. Ask them what they need If you’re worried about someone and you want to be there for them, ask them what they need. You’ll then know what they find helpful during tough times, and you can offer them support in a way that’s genuinely helpful. 

Get physical 

If you’re a hugger, ask your friend whether it’d be okay to hug them. Once you get the thumbs up, hug away! Hugging your friends can be a great way to show you care for them. Physical contact can be comforting, especially when someone feels alone.  

Keep in touch 

Even if you don’t live nearby, show your friends you’re there for them by making an effort to keep in regular touch through social media, texts or calls. 

Tell them how you feel 

You don’t have to make a big deal about it all the time, but you can make a real difference to how someone is feeling just by letting them know how important they are to you. So, go for it! 

Be willing to make a tough call

 If you think your friend’s safety is at risk, you might need to act without their consent and get help. It can be a tough call, particularly when you’re worried about how they’ll react, but remember that good friends care enough to step up, and that you’re doing it to protect them from harm. 

Source: ReachOut.com

A discussion about some of the differences between the “dating relationships” of the older generations and the current.

Previous generations in Zambia have been keen on following the local traditional values, while the current generation is more free to choose or shape their own destinies.

Both setups may have Pros and Cons. So, let us discuss and see what we can come up with! 🙂

As the entire world is panicking and fighting to end the Corona Virus (COVID 19) pandemic.

I thought i should take time to share my views on the situation. Stay safe!

Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water.

Why? Washing your hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand rub kills viruses that may be on your hands.

Maintain at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.

Why? When someone coughs or sneezes they spray small liquid droplets from their nose or mouth which may contain virus. If you are too close, you can breathe in the droplets, including the COVID-19 virus if the person coughing has the disease.

Why? Hands touch many surfaces and can pick up viruses. Once contaminated, hands can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth. From there, the virus can enter your body and can make you sick.

Make sure you, and the people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene. This means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately.

Why? Droplets spread virus. By following good respiratory hygiene you protect the people around you from viruses such as cold, flu and COVID-19.

Stay home if you feel unwell. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention and call in advance. Follow the directions of your local health authority.

Why? National and local authorities will have the most up to date information on the situation in your area. Calling in advance will allow your health care provider to quickly direct you to the right health facility. This will also protect you and help prevent spread of viruses and other infections.

Source: World Health Organisation

A life that is greater, is a life spent around people who support, build and make you laugh.

Those short, unimportant and silly conversations that leave you with a smile on your face.

Those are the foundations of true friendship, and as we know, all good relationships are built on friendship.

Always watch your temper and only get offended on second thoughts.

This means that when someone speaks strangely, first take it from a neutral standpoint.

Ask yourself “why would this person want to offend me?”

Do not jump to conclusion quickly because you might miss a step and fall out of a good relationship.

If you don’t understand someone’s intentions, then ask questions for clarification.

Scenarios in your head will always try to victimize you because they are always biased towards “what is best for me”, which is usually championed by selfishness.

Life is too short and nobody owes us happiness.

Clean up your energy and people will be drawn into your circle.

A life spent laughing, is a the happy life… 

I always believe if it is not my responsibility to say NO then that is a burden I will not take. Do not say No to yourself. Ask God, ask the Universe, ask the girl, ask the boy, ask the mentor. Let them say No. Let the people whose burden it is to say No say No. Do not say No on their behalf. Have the courage to ask for what you want. Have the courage to seek out what your heart desires. The biggest regret one can ever have is saying No to themselves when it was not their burden to do so. It’s the things you wanted to do or say that you didn’t because you lacked the courage. You said No to yourself when it was not your job to do so. – Lembelani Daka

This is an introduction to the Machona Podcast.

The podcast will be discussing various issues, mainly from the personal views of the presenter. However, the listeners are also welcome to contribute their thoughts by leaving comments on our Facebook page, or via email.

The aim is to have fun whilst making this world a better place for every soul. Lets us share ideas and put smiles on our neighbors’ faces. – Machona