Why we all need a friend

I am heading on a girl’s trip tomorrow and am so excited. The excitement had poured on. WHY? Was it the thought of getting away from all the daily tasks, or spending time with some incredible women, or maybe that we were heading to spend time in the outdoors? As I was packing, I realized it was mostly the excitement of spending time with these ladies. Many months ago, I went on a trip with them and had a blast. Most importantly, it was our chats overlooking the water, and our fully engaged conversations about life. When I thought about how we all became friends, I became fascinated of how we knew each other for well over 40 years, but had simply kindled a friendship in the last couple of years. Yes, here I go with the pondering of why we feel better with our friends. What are friends? Why do we need them? Yes, I did some research on MR GOOGLE.

According to one of my favorite sources , verywellmind, wrote how friends are healthy! That is nice to know. Friendships can enrich our life in many ways. Good friends teach us about ourselves and challenge us to be better. They can encourage us to keep going when times get tough and celebrate our successes! But friends do a lot more than give us a shoulder to cry on; they can have a positive impact on our health. Some research even says friendships are just as important to our well-being as eating right and exercising. That is a good reason why we should work hard at keeping up with our friends. I have a few that I don’t talk to much, but when we do talk, things just pick right up. I will admit, over the years, I was not good at keeping up with friends and hope to do better. Another point in the article was friends can encourage good health. Now, that is interesting. Friendships can help us make lifestyle changes that can have a direct impact on our well-being. For example, our friends can help us set and maintain goals, to eat better, and exercise more. We all know that we do better if we have to be accountable to someone. Friends can also watch out for us and give a heads-up when any unhealthy behaviors (like drinking too much) get out of hand. We have all said, I better drive! People are more motivated and likely to stick to a weight loss or exercise program when they do it with a buddy. It's much easier to get out and stay active when you have a friend by your side. This is exciting since we are planning on going hiking. A bonus for friends is they can suggest activities that you would not have considered on your own, which can push us outside your comfort zone to challenge your anxiety. How many of you did something that a friend wanted to do, and you were not that excited but ended up enjoying? If you find yourself going through a hard time, having a friend to help you through can make the transition easier. Research also shows that happiness is contagious among friends. One study of high school students found that those who were depressed were twice as likely to recover if they had happy friends and kids were half as likely to develop depression if their friends had a "healthy mood”. That is good reason we need friends. Everyone has self-doubts and insecurities every now and then, so having friends who support us can plays a big role in buy helping us with our self-esteem and encourage us to love ourselves. Spending time with friends can also help reduce stress. According to Harvard Medical School, "social connections help relieve levels of stress, which can harm the heart's arteries, gut function, insulin regulation, and the immune system. That is some neat information. Friends can also provide a positive influence. If you have friends who are generous with their time, help others, or are ambitious or family-oriented, it helps us wanting to do the same.

What do friendships change over time? Friendships change over time for the simple reason that we change over time. As we move through the different roles in our life, our sense of who we are can change and so do our needs. And that’s perfectly normal.

What are some of the reasons friendships ends? In an article of Psychology Today, there are many reasons. There are some friendships that will last from elementary school to late adulthood. These are not the norm. I am still friends with a couple of elementary and middle school friends. Typically, friendships develop as a result of one of three factors: proximity, shared activities, or life events. We might develop friendships with our neighbors, for instance, because of their proximity to our own home; however, when one of you moves away, the friendship might “move away,” too, if the connection didn’t deepen over time. The same is true for friends at a job, or “friends of friends”. As our interests and activities change, as our life changes, we change. I have made some incredible friends through the years in my career, and I think about them often. However, I would not say we have a friendship in the works. Some I keep up with and exchange information on social media but that is about it. Now, if any of them needed me for something, I would be there for them.

I hope all of you reach out to a friend today! Remember, it is good for our health!

Have a beautiful day!