This last year’s been difficult for a lot of folks. If you’re feeling blue, a simple coffee with a friend might lift your spirits.
In this short post, we go over 10 painful signs you need coffee with a friend.
It’s ok to feel blue and low. A lot of folks are.
This is to encourage you to reach out to a friend and schedule a coffee date.
And side note, a coffee date could mean anything you enjoy doing with a friend – you don’t have to limit yourself!
Let’s jump in.
Your Loneliness Is Constantly Looming
Does this sound familiar?
With the last year of the pandemic you’ve been:
- Following social distancing guidelines
- Not seeing family and friends in person
- Lost touch with old friends (because life happens)
- And more…
And the result? You’re feeling very lonely!
That’s understandable, and that’s ok.
The news talks so much about people who are NOT following the social distancing protocols that they forget to talk about those who are — and are feeling lonely as a result.
According to one study, 3 out 5 American are lonely.
It’s painful to feel lonely, especially through challenging times like these.
So whether you’ve been feeling lonely for a few days, a few weeks, or the last year of this pandemic, know that you’re not alone.
And take that as a sign that you are due for a coffee with a friend (or a happy hour, lunch date, or some other social activity).
For more on this check how to overcome boredom and loneliness.
You Aren’t Getting Out Of The House Much
Most of what you see about people ignoring pandemic precautions is a stretch (we think).
Yes, a lotta people are ignoring all the covid guidelines.
But we think there’s a ton of folks out there who have been social distancing (and feeling isolated), and these types aren’t portrayed as much in the news.
We’ve mostly been isolating ourselves, and if you have too then, like us, you probably aren’t getting out of the house much either.
This can leave you feeling frustrated and mentally distant from family and old friends.
So whether you are stuck at home or have been simply following the recommended guidelines…
Getting out of the house to get coffee with a friend is a simple way to re-connect and lift your spirits.
After you have your coffee with a friend date, getting out of the house with your kids can help too.
Now that the weather’s getting warmer, check out our tips on outside activities for toddlers and activities for 3-year-olds.
It’s Been Months Since You Had Coffee With A Friend
Are you feeling ready to reconnect with an old (or new) pal?
Awesome.
Have you decided which friend you want to connect with? And taken the time to reach out to them?
No?
Well, you’re not the only one.
A lotta folks who have been socially distancing and isolating over the last year are going to be in the same boat.
Chances are they are at home hoping that you would reach out to them to schedule a coffee date so that they don’t have to.
If it’s been months since you had coffee with a friend, it’s time to get something on your calendar.
Your Spouse Is Driving You Crazy
Now that we’ve talked about what you haven’t been doing by being at home, let’s talk about a big factor that might have you hankering for coffee with a friend stronger than a triple espresso:
Your spouse.
Do you need a break from them?
If you’ve been stuck at home social distancing for a while, there’s a decent chance you do.
This question always makes us smile.
Why?
Because it’s normal, even if you don’t think it is, for your spouse to drive you nuts every once in a while.
Now, if your spouse is driving you insane like all the time, that’s another issue entirely…
But if your spouse is driving you nuts mainly because you’ve been cooped up inside with them for the last year, that’s normal and that’s ok.
And, that might be a sign you need some spousal distancing time (as the NYT coined the phrase) by having coffee with a friend.
Your Patience Meter Is Depleted
Eventually, you might realize you’re getting kinda snappy.
The sooner you realize it, the sooner you’ll be able to take some steps to chart a new course. Most of the time, if your patience meter is depleted it’s a temporary situation and something that some TLC and personal care time can help with.
With so much that’s happened over the last year, you might actually be experiencing grief.
You’ll reconnect with your reservoirs of patience much faster if you’re able to step away from your stressors and take a break. Coffee with a friend can be a simple, excellent way to get away and start your journey of self-care.
It’s a win-win for replenishing your patience reserves.
Your Coffee Pot Makes Charred Coffee
You can usually tell, can’t you?
The moment the first cup of coffee hits your lips and rather than a buttery rich flavor you taste liquid more bitter than crumbling tree bark from a dead tree.
Whether you’re a true coffee addict or simply drink one cup to start your day, the taste of bitter coffee on your lips can be enough to sour your morning.
You don’t want that.
Now, in normal time we might recommend you clean out the old coffee pot (or get a new one).
But in this case?
We say it’s a sign you need to have coffee with a friend. In normal times, you probably just needed to wash the coffee pot with hot and soapy water and then run some vinegar through it.
You Feel Panicky At The Thought Of Leaving The House
There are some reasons so many folks are going crazy from sitting at home so much.
Every day in our local newspaper there’s a new story about some group of locals who are getting out and socializing like the pandemic never happened.
But if you feel panicky at the thought of leaving the house? That might be a sign that you need a change to mix things up, get a fresh perspective, and reconnect with your social network.
Now, don’t get us wrong. If you feel panicky to the point of having anxiety or panic attacks, you might need to talk to your doctor.
But if it’s something more akin to everyday jitters and feeling weird in a panicky way because you haven’t been leaving your house every day? That might mean you just need to get back in the habit of going out and about regularly.
You Feel Trapped In Your Daily Routine
How do you know if you feel trapped in your daily routine?
When every day begins to feel the same, months go back and you don’t feel like you’ve made any progress towards your goals.
When that happens, it’s time to be brutally honest about the rut that you’re in…
…and take some concrete steps to dig out of it.
Being trapped in your daily routine can feel like you’re living in the movie Groundhog Day. But you don’t need to take the drastic steps Bill Murray takes in that movie to escape.
A simple coffee with a friend might do the trick.
Home Feels Like The Rikers Island Jail
How do you know when it’s time to make social plans like coffee with a friend?
When home feels like a prison. When you haven’t gone out in months, you haven’t had a ton of people over, and just sitting at home makes you feel like the walls are closing in on you.
As more time passes, more studies are showing the adverse effects the pandemic has had on mental health.
This pandemic era we’re all living through is highly unusual but not impossible to adapt to. These aren’t times to continue approaching life like a pandemic wasn’t happening.
If you’re walking around your house lately and feeling trapped and that you can’t escape, that’s a sign that a couple of things need to happen:
It’s time to revamp your home so it doesn’t feel like Ft. Leavenworth federal prison.
And it’s time to make some social plans and get out of the house.
You’re All Doom And Gloom
Being the Debbie Downer of your social group is no way to live.
While it might feel good to make every conversation a venting session for all your annoyances, people don’t want to hear your gripes all the time.
But that doesn’t mean that if you’re in a cycle of negativity, you can’t get out of it.
But that doesn’t mean that if you’ve recently become aware that you’re in a doomsday mindset that you should take a couple of steps to chart a new path forward.
You can take charge of the doom and gloom rut and begin to turn it around.
First, take that negative mental energy and channel it into a more productive place than rambling a string of complaints into your friends’ ears.
One of the best ways to do this is by starting a daily journaling habit. This can help you process your thoughts, anxieties, and frustrations. Sometimes simply getting your thoughts out of your mind and on to the page can help you be more mindful.
Conclusion
Take care of yourself. Reach out to friends. Schedule some coffee dates. Reconnect with people.
And practice self-care. These are difficult times we’re all living through. But you don’t have to struggle alone.
There’s plenty of ways to connect either to old friends or to new ones.
So drop a note below and let us know: did you schedule time for coffee with a friend?
