🤗 FRIENDSHIP
“A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.” – Elbert Hubbard
Friendship is the hand on your shoulder when words fall apart. It’s the look that says, “You’re okay, just as you are.” For people with ADHD, friendship can be both a refuge and a maze. We love hard, feel deeply, forget to reply, and sometimes disappear when we’re overwhelmed. But real friendship sees past the gaps. It meets us where we are.
This value reminds us that we’re not meant to walk the trail alone. ADHD can feel isolating—like you’re too intense, too inconsistent, too much. But true friendship isn't built on flawless communication or polished consistency. It's built on shared safety. On laughter in the chaos. On being real.
Friendship also becomes a mirror. When someone loves you as you are, you start to believe you’re lovable. When someone celebrates your weird, bright, scattered self, you learn to celebrate it too.
Living this value means showing up—imperfectly, honestly, and with heart. It means forgiving each other’s absences and remembering each other’s essence. It means being someone’s soft place to land, even if you don’t have it all together.
🧭 The HOPE Trail Map
- Helps or Harms: Am I nurturing friendships that hold space for my truth—or ones that make me mask who I am?
- Own My Values: I want to be someone who builds friendships rooted in care, not performance.
- People and Pursuits: Who sees me clearly, and still chooses me? Who do I want to invest in—even if I show up messy?
- Enact and Evaluate: Today, I’ll reach out to a friend—not with perfection, just with presence.
⚠️ Trail Challenges
- RSD (Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria) can make social connection feel high-stakes.
- Forgetfulness or overwhelm can unintentionally create distance.
- Fear of being a “burden” may stop us from reaching out.
🪧 Trail Markers: Small Steps Toward Friendship
- Send a short “thinking of you” message—even without a full catch-up.
- Name one friend you feel safe being real with—and reflect on why.
- Practice offering one honest thing instead of pretending you’re fine.
🔥 Campfire Questions for Reflection
- Who are my “lighthouse” people—and how do I honour them?
- What kind of friend do I want to be when I remove pressure to be perfect?
- How can I bring gentleness into friendships where I’ve been hard on myself?
Friendship is the shelter we build together, out of truth and trust. Even if the trail is rough, it's easier when someone’s walking it with you.
