8 Simple Ways To Strengthen Your Friendships

On an ordinary afternoon in 2017, I was doodling on colorful construction paper at the kitchen table with my younger brother, Nick. At some point, I started to write “Directions” at the top of each page, and underneath, I found myself writing funny, whimsical, affirming words of advice.

At the time I had no idea why I’d written them, but I now understand that these directions came out of my own desire for guidance. When I finally shared them on Instagram a year later, I realized I wasn’t the only one craving direction. The series quickly became the most popular thing I’d done, and now Directions exists as a book.

Below are a few of my favorites, centered on the theme of friendship. More than anything, I believe we are here in this miraculous existence to love and care for each other. I turn to these words when I need to be reminded of ways to do that.

Excerpted from Directions: Really Good Advice for Getting From Here to There (Workman Publishing). Copyright © 2021.

Hallie Bateman is an illustwriter based in Los Angeles. She is the author of Brave New Work and coauthor of What to Do When I’m Gone.