Ted Lasso, the show that many have come to love over these last few years, celebrates football in a way that talks much more about the people playing it than just the sport and its beauty. What may perhaps be the best quality of the show is its ability to bring its characters, who are often representative of real people off-screen and their struggles, joys, etc., together in a manner that binds them together for life. And that is a quality of the show that isn't much spoken about in the larger discourse around it.
With the show's fourth season now ongoing, what better way to highlight why one must watch it than by highlighting a couple of rituals and community/friendship-bonding practices that you can do with your best buds to strengthen your relationship? Here are some you can try out with them.
Inspired through moments when support, advice or plain and simple listening is the need of the hour for one of your mates or yourself, huddle into the Diamond Dog circle. Inspired by the Ted, Beard, Nate, and Higgins gang, later gslrrt tp Roy, this space should be judgment-free, where all of you can talk about tough decisions, crib about annoying moments, or discuss other struggles without any unsolicited advice coming in the way.
Life can be busy. But meeting your friends or your best bud is important, after all, y'all have been through thick and thin together. So why not keep a one-on-one touchpoint with each other at an interval that deems fit for the both of you. When Ted Lasso initiates the 'Biscuits with your boss' moments in the very first episode, it becomes a ritual between them almost on an everyday basis. He frops off homemade shortbread to Rebecca as a way to ensure the highlight of trust between them outside of their professional relationship. Keep it personal and not transactional and you have with your friend/s a moment when you know there's no beating around the bush, just boding over your own little 'Biscuits with the boss'.
A friendship may not always be smooth. There can always be mistakes comitted, miscommunications had and tensions brewing regarding any unconfortable discussions. But the reson why you are best buds is because you are there to speak their truths and clear the air. Keeping a regular interval to have this 'clearing-the-air' session, with the right forgiving and embracing attitude can do wonders. Because as Ted highlights in the clip, friends do not judge each other by their weakest moments, but by how they show their strengths when they are given a second chance.
In the show, a simple 'Believe' sign that Ted installs above his office drives the entire team's morale for multiple seasons. It becomes a holy grail of sorts. When Nate tears up the sign in season three, it brings out very active emotions from the players when they head to the ground for the game they were playing against his team signifying how important this artefact had become for each of them personally. You and your group a simplar create your own physical totem and pass it to each other routinely or to someone in your group who needs this because they're having a tough period in their life or is set on achieving a goal.
When Ted gists a book personally chosen for each member in the team, he is sure that it is representative of their position in their personal growth and journey. This can be adapted into your life where you take out some time in a week where you and your buddies share suggestions for a podcast show, or a film or a book to each other and then probably reflect on how all of you felt reading it. Sharing media and literature can strengthen your bond while also informing each other of your opinion and teaching you to be positively tolerent towards each others' diverse opinions.