I stopped being the first to reach out to friends. It made me realize I don't need to be liked by everyone.

At 37, the author has decided to stop always being theone who initiates contact with friends.

Courtesy of the author

• The author stopped always initiating contact with friends to assess true connections.
• Past experiences and a desire for deep friendship shaped the author's approach to relationships.
• Focusing on mutual, loyal friendships led to greater contentment and less fear of rejection.

Ever since I was a little girl, I remember that friendships were a...