How to Strengthen Friendships Through Shared Experiences

Sam Booth
Apr 28
4 min read

In a world that moves fast and often feels disconnected, friendships are more than a luxury—they’re a lifeline. True friendships support us through hard days, celebrate our wins, and remind us that we are not alone. But like anything meaningful, relationships thrive when we invest in them—and one of the best ways to do that is through shared experiences.

Whether you're reconnecting with old friends or deepening bonds with new ones, this guide will help you create connection, spark joy, and strengthen friendships through experiences you can enjoy both online and offline.

Why Shared Experiences Matter in Friendship

Shared experiences aren’t just fun—they’re foundational. They build a sense of “us,” creating memories, inside jokes, and emotional connection that cement friendships over time.

Benefits of shared experiences:

✔️ Boosts trust and emotional closeness
✔️ Increases empathy and understanding
✔️ Strengthens communication and connection
✔️ Builds a library of joyful, meaningful memories

💡 Pep Talk: You don’t have to wait for a special occasion. Any moment can become memorable when it’s shared with intention.

Step 1: Reconnect Through Small Moments That Matter

Not every friendship deepens through grand gestures. Often, it’s the simple, intentional time spent together that does the heavy lifting.

Ideas for small but meaningful shared moments:

🍿 Watch the same movie and discuss it after (bonus points for popcorn and pajamas)
🎧 Listen to an audiobook together and voice note your thoughts
🚶‍♀️ Take a walk-and-talk call while exploring your respective neighborhoods
🌞 Send each other a morning mantra or daily affirmation

💬 Tip: Create a weekly check-in ritual—a short, casual catch-up that keeps you in each other’s lives consistently.

Step 2: Try Something New Together

One of the fastest ways to deepen a connection is to step into something unfamiliar together. Novelty brings people closer—and builds trust through shared learning or laughter.

Try these:

🍳 Take an online class together (cooking, painting, or photography)
🧩 Join a virtual escape room or trivia night
🗣️ Explore a foreign language app and practice with each other
📚 Attend a virtual event, book club, or guided wellness session

🎯 Ready to explore together?

Visit The Changing Booth to find online activities you and a friend can try—from fun to thought-provoking, and everything in between.

Step 3: Create a Shared Goal or Challenge

When friends work toward a shared goal—even a playful one—it creates a sense of purpose and partnership. You’re not just hanging out—you’re building something together.

Challenge ideas:

🧘‍♀️ A 7-day journaling or meditation challenge
🎲 “Try something new each week” challenge
📵 Digital detox day with check-ins for support
🎨 30-day creativity challenge (share drawings, writing, or playlists)

👟 The journey becomes as important as the destination—and the shared accountability keeps you motivated.

Step 4: Celebrate Each Other—Out Loud

Sometimes we assume our friends know how much they mean to us—but there’s nothing more powerful than saying it. Celebrate not just birthdays, but everyday wins and personal growth moments.

Ways to celebrate:

🎤 Send a voice memo of appreciation
🎵 Create a joint “celebration playlist” with songs that uplift
🥂 Plan a virtual or real-time toast when something good happens
📬 Mail a small, unexpected gift or handwritten letter

💡 Reminder: The more you recognize the value in your friendships, the more those friendships flourish.

Step 5: Revisit Shared Memories Together

Remembering good times from the past helps anchor your friendship in positive emotion. It creates continuity and reminds you of your history together.

Fun ways to reminisce:

🖼️ Create a shared photo album or collage online
📺 Re-watch a series you both loved at an earlier stage in life
🍝 Recreate a favorite meal or trip together, virtually or IRL
📓 Start a shared “memory journal” where you both write entries

💡Memory isn’t just nostalgia—it’s an emotional connector that brings people closer in the present.

Step 6: Be Present, Not Perfect

You don’t need to plan the perfect experience. Often, what your friend really needs is your full attention—without multitasking, distractions, or checking your phone.

Practice mindful presence:

⏳ Set aside dedicated time (even 20 minutes) to catch up fully
👂 Listen without fixing, offering advice, or checking out
❓ Ask open-ended questions: “What’s been on your mind lately?” or “What’s something you’re excited about?”

🧡 Friendship thrives in presence, not performance. Just showing up fully can mean the world.

Step 7: Make Room for Honesty and Vulnerability

Some of the strongest friendships are forged not through fun, but through honesty. Let your shared experiences include real talk—not just highlight reels.

Ways to open up space:

🌱Take turns sharing one thing that’s been challenging
🤔 Ask, “What’s something you wish more people knew about you?”
🌹 Practice “rose, thorn, and bud” (something good, something hard, something you’re looking forward to)

Being vulnerable can feel scary, but it builds deeper trust, empathy, and connection. And when you walk through hard things together, your bond becomes unshakeable.

Step 8: Embrace Digital Experiences with Intention

You don’t need to be in the same room to experience something together. In fact, online shared activities can be just as powerful—if not more accessible.

🎯 Explore together at The Changing Booth where you’ll find handpicked digital experiences to explore as a duo or group—like live virtual events, online classes, creativity boosters, and calming retreats.

Let technology become a tool for connection, not just a distraction.

Final Thoughts: Friendship Is a Living Thing—Feed It Often

Like any relationship, friendship grows when it’s nurtured. But it doesn’t take grand gestures or daily check-ins to keep a friendship strong. It just takes intention—and a willingness to show up, share experiences, and keep building together.

So start small. Reach out. Try something new together. Laugh over nothing. Celebrate each other’s weirdness. Create something fun or beautiful. Be honest, be present, and be kind.

Your friendships are already valuable—and with a little care, they can become life-changing.