The Power of Positive Friendships

I’ve been blessed with beautiful friendships in my life. I spend time with people who make me laugh, cry and genuinely care about me and my family. Some of my friends live close by, but most live far away. They live in Florida, Georgia, Portland, New Hampshire, Prague, Maine, Australia, Italy and even Doha, to name a few.

There is a theory that you become like the people you spend the most time with. For that reason, and because the goodness of others will contribute to your health and happiness, choose positive friendships and spend time with good people.

I love spending time with people who are:

• Honest
• Compassionate
• Joyful
• Optimistic
• Tolerant
• Curious
• Silly
• Adventurous

In other words, I like to spend time with people who embrace life with open hearts and minds.

I talk with some of my friends weekly, others less frequently, but they are always close to my heart. One of my girlfriends from high school is an artist. She’s been an artist from the moment I met her (and long before that). Her commitment to her art has been an inspiration to me and contributed to my desire to be an artist, not just in thought, but in deed too. Kristina’s example gave me the confidence to become an artist with my photography and writing.

What I love most about Kristina is her 

• thoughtfulness
• kindness to animals
• laugh
• artistic talent and creative brain
• tendency to be unconventional
• compassionate heart
• daringness

She was, and is an example of a how to be a really good person and the kind of friend everyone deserves in their lifetime. She has been a constant source of inspiration to me. As a working artist, she demonstrates that it is possible to be the person you want to be and do the things you want to do. My beautiful high school friend is now a wife and mother of 2 kids, 3 cats, 2 guinea pigs and 6 chickens.

Because Kristina has been such a positive influence in my life, I knew I had to support her dream of spreading happiness through her art. She is restoring a 1966 DeCamp Travel Trailer into a mobile art gallery. She is using Kickstarter to fund her project. You can hear more about her idea in this video:

It’s a beautiful idea, and with our help, a reality and opportunity for an artist to continue to inspire and bring joy into people’s lives. This project will only be funded if at least $2500 is pledged by September 12th. You can support by pledging as little as $5.00 (you won’t be charged until September 12th and only if the project is fully funded). You can also help by sharing Kristina’s Kickstarter campaign with your friends.

While many of you have never met me, you possess the qualities I look for in friends, and I’m grateful that we get to spend a little time together each week. Your comments and kind email messages make me smile and encourage me to continue living my dream as an artist. I love you for that.

Spend time with people who lift you up, and then lift them back.

What do you love most about your friendships?

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P.S. The image above is my cycling photography featured at BlueStar Juice and Coffee Cafe in Salt Lake City. If you are nearby, stop by and check it out!