Over the last six months I’ve made some really interesting new friends, reconnected with old friends and lost touch with others.

Let’s start with the people I’ve lost touch with. It’s absolutely never anything personal. The people I’ve lost touch with are absolutely wonderful. Nothing has happened at all, no one offended me, I’ve not been (knowingly) mean or horrible. Sometimes people just drift apart. We all lead our own lives and grow and develop into different people. No one should ever feel guilty about losing touch. I will never turn anyone’s calls or texts away and I hope they never do too. I’m almost positive that our paths will cross again one day and I can’t wait to see how we’ve both grown and changed. No one in this situation should ever feel guilty and I’m trying really hard not to feel guilty.

Old friends that I’ve reconnected with, a few in particular have reminded me why we were friends to begin with. There are some who I’ve spoken to intermittently over the years and every time it’s like we never stopped talking. Now, a few people I speak to often and for long periods of time. I’m going to include here acquaintances that I now consider close friends.

New people I’ve met over the last few months have had a huge impact on me as well. Whether it’s the new people in the office who are great fun or people I met when we all just so happened to team up to save the universe’s last star from being destroyed, it’s amazing how people can make you feel powerful. Fresh positivity from new friends is amazing.

There are so many ways that people can make you feel powerful. For me, it’s how they make me feel accepted. That instantly makes me feel powerful because for me, there’s always going to be safety in numbers. We’re all social creatures, even me, who prefers to be on my own most of the time. My gamers and I now have our own little squad. My colleagues and I have a camaraderie that has formed from a mutual love of our jobs and drinks on a Thursday. My campaigners inspire me every day by saving the world. My school friends make me feel young again. But no matter what the relationship I have with someone is, the thing that makes me feel the most powerful is acceptance. Acceptance from others makes me feel like I’m doing something right. Acceptance from others helps me to accept myself. Acceptance from myself makes me feel stronger. Find the people that you make you feel powerful and keep them around.

You deserve to feel powerful and deserve to have people make you feel that way.