Got friends?

July 8, 8:17 PMLA Working Moms ExaminerJamee Tenzer

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Do you have friends? Of course you do. Do you see your friends? Do you grab lunches in Century City, take walks on the beach and chat on the phone? If your answer to these questions is yes, then Bravo! However, if you're like many working moms out there, you may feel as if you don't have time to cultivate and nurture friendships.

You may say; “so what?” I have my husband, my kids and my job. I have colleagues and acquaintances. I talk to other mothers at "Mommy and Me" class. Who has time for anything else?

As moms we struggle with this kind of thinking. When faced with spending time with friends, we may feel that we should be spending any time we have with our kids or getting the shopping done. It can feel frivolous to meet a friend for drinks and none of us wants to be a “lady who lunches." How do we find that balance? If we are trying to live life as an expression of our values, then where are our friends?

It may be time to take a look at this part of our lives that may not be as rich as it could be. Maybe it’s time to renew old friendships and cultivate new ones? We reap so many benefits from the friends we have and that trickles into every part of our busy lives. Building equity in a friendship account will yield dividends, forever.

COACH ME QUICK tips for friendship:

1. Contact old friends. Who was your best-friend in college? Renew the friendship by email or Facebook.

2. Ask someone to lunch or take a walk. Maybe there is a mom at school or a co-worker, that you think is great or interesting? Start a friendship with someone new. This is kind of like dating; you need to work at it a bit.

3. If you are married or have a family, find other couples to socialize with. Ask them to dinner or invite their family over for a BBQ with your family.

4. Cultivate some kind of a group that meets regularly. Figure out an activity like walking, seeing movies or meeting for a meal and invite some people that you think would get along or have something in common. Make it a weekly or monthly event.

Places to meet working moms in Los Angeles: