Use birthdays as an excuse to praise your friends

Maybe they deserve more than two words.

If you want to show off a lot of effort send a ” Happy Birthday ______! Cheers :) “ The smiley face is really important since it adds a bit of humanity to an otherwise emotionless message.

I mean, these days who has time to congratulate over 9000 friends? I know, right? Your post just adds up to the existing hundreds, all saying the same with different grammatical cases. And by the end of the day your friend will post a global “thanks” with the same coldness of the congrats he/she received.

Do this instead. It’s better for both.

Think about it: what is this day about anyway? It means X years ago your friend came to this world. It also means he/she is an year closer to leave it. That’s harsh but true nonetheless. I’m sick and tired of seeing people getting ignored on a daily basis, but deeply praised after they die. Guess what, they can’t see you or hear you inside that coffin!

Thus, whatever you have to say to your friend, say it, honestly and without holding back, at least once a year, and what a perfect day birthdays are.

Let him/her know…

• how much you care;
• how honored and inspired you feel;
• what you like the most about him/her;
• that you recall the last time that both ______;
• or that time when ______ happened;
• basically, that they matter and are loved.

It’s even better if you make it personal like — in descending order — a postcard, a letter, an SMS, an instant message… but never a public post. This is between you two and no one else.

By doing this, you’ll brighten your friend’s day . Additionally, you’ll feel fulfilled — wow, that’s way too many L’s in three words — by knowing you did made someone else’s day. It’s the best warmth there is.

By the way, mine is getting closer. It maybe be a good time to put it into practice. Just sayin’ :P