One of the questions I receive most often about blogging is simply, what is the best thing about blogging?

This is the most frequent and absolutely the easiest question to answer. The friends that I have made. Now you might saying, “Oh Laura Leigh, that’s so cheesy” or “Wow, typical” but y’all, I am being extremely truthful. The friends I have made from being in the blogging world are most definitely the best part of blogging. Two of my very best friends were social media friends for months before I actually met them in person. Now after over a year we’ve only seen each other 2-5 times but talk almost daily.

I literally couldn’t keep my sanity if it were not for these two. They’re also the two best people to run any idea I have about my blog by. I know they will be 100% truthful and tell me the idea is awful or that it’s amazing and I need to jump on it stat! Having friends that you can trust completely and go to at any point in time can be hard to come by. So with these types of friendships you want to hold on tight and make sure you put in the time necessary to keep them going. Whether you live close or far, friendships take work and they take a lot of care.

Here are my top tips for making those friendships not only work but grow

• Remember to ask how their day/week is going
  • Everyone loves to talk about themselves, am I right? I mean why not? You’re interesting, exciting, and have had quite the week. BUT your friend is also extremely interesting, exciting, and may have very well had an equally or more eventful week. It’s important to show your gal pals that you care about what they’re going through as well. You don’t want to do all the talking because you’re interested in their life too. That’s what friends are suppose to do, care about the other and what they’re going through
• Make plans for exciting trips or weekends to visit one another
  • Just like a long distance relationship, you need to see one another. One because it’ll be extremely fun and exciting. Two because you have a lot of catching up to do, even if you’ve talked on the phone weekly or text all day. You just can’t beat catching up in person. Also it allows you to have an excuse to grab margaritas or go take a week worth of blog photos for each other.
• Be honest
  • Honesty is the best policy. That’s what momma said, right? This is beyond true when it comes to long distance friendships and those in the blogging world. She needs to know that she can count on you to tell the truth when she comes to you with something about her business (I’m talking about your blog here) or maybe about a personal situation (ugh, guys). If you think it’s a bad idea to include something in their media kit or respond to a brand’s email in a particular way, tell her! Everyone needs a little nudge in the right direction sometime and it’s your responsibility to have the elbow behind that nudge.
• Talk about everything
  • Don’t limit your friendship to blogging just because you met through blogging. Trust me when I say that me and blogger bffs talk about EVERYTHING. From what sunglasses we’re purchasing to the new drink we tasted last night to the stresses we’re feeling from work (or school). You’re friends, you can and should talk about everything! This only helps your grow closer and create a stronger bond.
•  Motivate/Encourage
  • Being each other’s cheerleader is something every woman in business needs. Let’s be honest right now…how many times a day whether it’s at work or working on your blog do you doubt yourself? Pretty often right? It happens. We’re human and we’re woman. We almost always feel like we could have done something better. Be an encourager to your friends and let them know, they’re kicking butt! They’re working or going to school and blogging or heck they blog full time because they’re that awesome!
  • Also motivate your friends. If they’re thinking of trying something different on their blog or take a leap on some new venture motivate them. Be their cheerleader! Let them know they have this!
• Have fun!
  • Don’t focus too much on all the work and/or blogging. Have fun together. Plan meals out , get together for a concert, or head to the local watering hole and grab a cocktail. Enjoy being friends! Whenever my two blogger bffs and I get together we have the BEST time and that’s because we let loose and enjoy the time we have together. We laugh until we legit cry, we indulge in extremely tasty treats, and we cheer to the things we have accomplished.

Having long distance relationships can be amazing and having friends in the blogging world can seriously be the best. Aka they can legitimately become your best friends, mine did. If my blogging never grows into a full time venture as I am hoping it will, I will forever be thankful I entered the blogging world because of these friends!

Also see this post featured on The Blog Issue and check out Corbin’s tips for a LDF.