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Showing Up for a Friend

For anyone who wants to be there for the people they care about, especially when life gets hard for them. Each day is one small, practical way to check in, listen, help, or celebrate, so friends feel less alone.

Connection · Relationships · Communication · one to-do a day · you choose how many days

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The first seven days

  • Day 1Send a friend a short check-in text today and add, "No need to reply, just thinking of you."
  • Day 2Ask one friend, "How are you, really?" and give them your full attention while they answer.
  • Day 3Think of a friend going through something hard right now, and write their name on a sticky note where you will see it.
  • Day 4Instead of saying "let me know if you need anything," offer a friend one specific thing, like "Can I drop off dinner Thursday?"
  • Day 5Put the date of a friend's upcoming medical appointment, interview or hard anniversary in your calendar with a reminder.
  • Day 6When a friend shares something painful today, resist offering a fix and say, "That sounds really hard."
  • Day 7Celebrate a friend's recent good news with a message that names exactly what they did and why it matters.

Further into the year

The to-dos keep changing as the year goes on. A few from later in this theme:

  • Day 30Notice if you have been waiting for a friend to reach out first, and send the message yourself today.
  • Day 60Thank a friend for trusting you with something hard they told you, and keep it to yourself.
  • Day 120Help a friend with a technology chore, like setting up a new phone or sorting out a bill online.
  • Day 240When a friend tells you their plans have fallen apart, ask how they are feeling before talking about next steps.
  • Day 365Write a short note to yourself about the kind of friend you want to be when life gets hard for someone you love, and keep it where you will see it.

How a challenge works

A Theraglee challenge is a theme with one small to-do for every day of a year. You choose how long yours runs, anywhere from a week to the full year, and each day you get the next to-do: something that takes a few minutes and fits inside an ordinary day. Tick it off when it is done. Nothing is scored and nothing is lost if you miss a day; the next to-do is simply waiting when you come back.

Challenges come with a free Theraglee account, which never asks for a card. Your progress stays private to you.

Challenges like this one

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Reading that goes with it

Going Somewhere Else in the Middle of an Argument Halfway through a disagreement you go flat and far away, and afterward cannot remember what either of you said. When Your Goal Depends on Somebody Else Moving, studying, a baby, the trip. How to sort what is yours from what is theirs, find out what the hesitation really is, and tell when a slow yes… Telling a Partner About Something That Happened You have carried it for years and they do not know. How to decide whether to tell, how much to say, and what to ask for when you do.
Educational only — not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Find a licensed therapist if you want support.