Love Together, play together

Unicorn Day—Building Happy Friendships

Everyone loves unicorns. These rainbow-colored mythical creatures can teach us so many things, even how to build happy friendships. How can you be like a unicorn this National Unicorn Day?

More than just being pretty, unicorns have become icons of happiness, fantasy, and wonder. According to the article “National Unicorn Day” from National Today, unicorns have been used throughout history—in China, Greece, India, Iran, Persia, Ireland, Scotland, and so many more countries—as symbols of strength, grace, and freedom.

Known to spread joy wherever they go, unicorns have pranced their way into the very foundation of our cultures, becoming part of our fairy tales, myths, folklore, fashion, and media. These magical creatures use their uniqueness and inspiring traits to rock the world and bring friends together, like in David W. Miles’s book Unicorn (and Horse). Where envy and self-doubt can ruin a friendship, embracing our unicorn traits can build a happy friendship.

Perhaps National Unicorn Day is our cue to take a page out of the unicorns’ book. Just like them, we can use these four inspiring unicorn traits to build our own happy friendships and to teach our kids to be the unicorns in their friendships.

1. Strength

Life can get rocky. When your little boat is shaking, it takes some strength and staying power to keep a friendship together. Whether you or your friend is suffering, you need to know that you can weather any adversity with them. Grief, heartbreak, jealousy, pain—you can be someone they count on to get them through the storm. You can start teaching your kids early to be strong like a unicorn with Verwell Family’s Article “Teach Kids How to Be Mentally Tough.”

However, maybe you are the one in the middle of a raging sea. Knowing when to ask for help and knowing that you can somehow get through your hardships anyway is another sign of strength. Keep your head high—you’re doing okay.

Leaning on your friend will also give them a chance to be strong. Nobody wants to be just a horse when they can be a unicorn.

2. Grace

Grace is a combination of many traits—mercy, humility, graciousness, and compassion—but we can boil it down to one: kindness. People like people who are nice. If you go out of your way to be kind to your friend, you’ll build a friendship that’s nothing but happy. Give them gifts, offer to help them, cook for them, and listen when they’re upset. Just do the things you would want your friends to do for you (it’s called the golden rule for a reason).

However, this can get a bit sticky if you’re feeling jealous of your friend. You know that it’s not their fault you think they’re so great, but you can’t help being mad at them because you’re doubting yourself. In this case, you should give yourself some kindness.

Being kind to your friend and yourself will build an unbreakable bond between you and protect you from those negative, non-unicorn feelings.

3. Freedom

Friendships are the strongest when you have the freedom to be yourself. It’s exhausting to be locked in a box all day every day, thinking that your friends won’t like the “real you.” (Unicorns aren’t loved for being like everyone else, you know.) Be honest with your friends when you start forming relationships because—as the great Dr. Suess said—“those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” A friendship built on honesty will be a happy and true one.

And if you’re getting the sense that your friend isn’t so happy, give them the freedom to be themselves too. Ask them to tell you how they’re feeling. Remind them that you’ll love them no matter what.

No unicorn can be kept in a box, so don’t put yourself or your friends in one.

4. Dreams

Unicorns are creatures of dreams and wonder, so dream big. Unicorns have proven to us that anything is possible, and you can take this chance to prove it too. Do whatever makes you happy. Use your strength, grace, and freedom to make your mystical, magical dream a reality.

You might feel distant when you and your friends are striving toward different goals, but that isn’t what’s actually happening. In reality, that’s just you giving yourself and your friends the freedom to be yourselves—the freedom to be happy. The most important part of building a happy friendship is that both you and your friend are happy. And you won’t be happy if you can’t do what you love.

Just remember that you may be heading in different directions, but you are still growing together. With your strength and effort, your friendships will still be as strong as ever, no matter where you end up. Because true unicorns will never disappear.

Learn more about the history of Unicorn Day and how you can celebrate it with our article “Happy Unicorn Day!”

Children’s Books about Unicorns

Books about Friendships and Relationships

Learn how to support your kids in their friendships with our articles:

^{Shaelyn Topolovec earned a BA in editing and publishing from BYU, worked on several online publications, and joined the Familius family. Shae is currently an editor and copywriter who lives in California’s Central Valley.}