How to Stay Connected with Your Friends After Marriage
As you enter this exciting time, it’s essential to recognize that this shift in dynamics will affect your existing relationships. Friendships are most at risk of going through a change.
Now that you have new priorities, commitments, routines, and responsibilities, it’s an easy shift for friendships to take a backseat role, especially in the beginning phases. With that said, maintaining friendships and your support system is essential for your mental health and overall quality of life.
Here are ways to ensure those bonds continue to thrive after marriage.
Be Intentional with Your Time
After marriage, your priority will be nurturing your relationship above all else. You’ll also be managing a household and juggling career responsibilities with personal ones. Depending on your circumstances, your schedule may become tighter.
That doesn’t mean your friendships have to wither away or become a non-priority. Be intentional with your time. Plan routine get-togethers with your friends to maintain those bonds. Schedule coffee dates or weekend brunch plans. Maybe meet up at a fitness class.
The plans themselves don’t matter, but the regular face time will. Each snippet of time can go a long way.
Communicate Openly
The foundation of every good relationship always rests on effective communication. Don’t be afraid to tell your friends exactly how you’re feeling. If you’re overwhelmed with trying to juggle all of your responsibilities, say so.
Any true friend will understand your position and appreciate your honesty. Consistent and open communication helps prevent misunderstandings that can lead to conflict and distance.
It’s also worth noting that you don’t need to have hours-long conversations, especially when life is busy. A simple check-in text or quick call between meetings is enough to keep your bond alive and well.
Involve Your Spouse
One great way to ensure friendships thrive after marriage is to invite them into your new life. You don’t have to have separate lives, one for your friends and one for your spouse.
Invite them to group dinners or over to your house for a game night. It gives each of the important people in your life the opportunity to form meaningful bonds with one another. Future social endeavors will be much easier and more inclusive.
Respect Life Changes
As you enter new chapters in life, so will your friends. One crack that can start to form naturally is the transition between different phases of life. Some friends will start raising kids, others will choose to be pet parents, and some will remain single. You’ll also have friendships that span different geographical areas.
It’s important to meet each friendship where it’s at and respect these differences. Being flexible will help ensure that your friendships stay strong, even when you’re not following the same path.
Create New Traditions
Before marriage, you had old routines that were tried and true. Now that you’re in this new chapter, those old routines may no longer work. So why not create new traditions?
Form a monthly book club or weekend brunch. Have virtual movie or game nights for those who aren’t close. Maybe plan a yearly getaway.
These types of traditions give you something to look forward to with your friends. When you have regular plans, it can help strengthen the connection.
Explore Outside Guidance
It’s no surprise that life gets busy. Knowing how to navigate new chapters can be challenging, but should always be rewarding. If you’re entering into his new chapter of marriage and feel overwhelmed with the magnitude of everything, therapy can be a helpful tool in learning how to manage it all.
Through individual or marriage counseling, we can identify strategies for managing stress and maintaining your important relationships. Contact us to learn more.