Valued Friendships vs. Warm Body Friendships
What Type of Friendship Do You Need or Prefer?
This post is not to place more importance on one version of friendship over another but to perhaps help you identify which version you need or prefer.
Pros of Warm Body Friendships
They provide an easy distraction for your already hectic and complicated life
They give you someone to share interests with, that your spouse, family or close friends don’t share
They can be a simple lunch or shopping buddy for your lunch hour
They are great to vibe with about current events and sports
They can be friends to those who find it hard to open up and let others in
Pros of Valued and Intimate Friendships
These friends are the family we choose
They are the people you miss and strive to make time to visit, because you fill each other up
They are the people you want to share a problem with because you know they will add value and perspective
This type of friend will have the tough conversations with you, not always telling you what you want to hear
They are friends who you have lost touch with due to life circumstances but when you reconnect it’s like no time has passed at all
Both types of these friendships are important to me. I have a dependent personality, placing a lot of thought and energy into my friends . My personality is an extrovert and a people person, these are traits I am typically proud of, but as I have matured I found I was over-attending to others and accepting little to nothing in return. Having more casual friendships allows less investment but all the perks of friendship.
