Think about it. You are likely to cross paths with a vast number of people in your lifetime. Most will drift in and out with no significant consequence to you, but a lucky few will grace your life with their friendship.
Good friends are hard to come by. They are those rare individuals who make you a better person by giving you the gift of joy, encouragement, and companionship.
Friendship is a source of power that enhances our success in the following areas.
#1 Positivity: There is nothing like being with friends who can replace our stress and worries with laughter. Not only is it a welcoming sight to see them but a proven way to recharge our spirits with good times and camaraderie.
#2 Personal Growth: Friends are the ideal catalyst for getting us out of a rut and inspiring us to do and be more. Their words of encouragement and helpful recommendations contribute to our adopting a more fulfilling lifestyle.
#3 Wellness: A perfect way to improve our health is to partner up with friends to get fit, eat well, and stay mentally strong. They are invaluable allies when it comes to being exercise buddies, helping us with dieting, keeping us current on health trends, and coaching us when we get off track.
#4 Self-worth: With the special bond that comes with friendship, we have immediate access to people who care about our well-being. Friends say exactly what we need to hear to build up our self-esteem and to tackle troubling times with a sense of confidence and purpose.
#5 Perspective: Having a diverse selection of friends opens our minds up to different thoughts and ways of viewing issues. Friends can pull us out of our narrow focus and provide us with a litany of unique solutions to difficult encounters.
#6 Companionship: A strong circle of friends is just the ticket to ward off feelings of loneliness and depression. Research links chronic social isolation to serious health issues such as substance abuse, anxiety, high blood pressure, dementia, and heart problems. Friendship is the miracle drug that can heal us mentally and physically.
#7 Referrals: Friends are a natural conduit to endless possibilities that can enhance our quality of life. With a keen understanding of our likes and dislikes, they inevitably come up with exceptional suggestions for restaurants, books, and movies and referrals for a good doctor, lawyer, and much more.
#8 Love: Unlike family, we have the freedom to choose our friends. When we share a loving or spiritual connection with a friend, he or she may be the perfect substitute for a connection we may lack with our parents, siblings, or children.
True friends are like diamonds – bright, beautiful, valuable, and always in style.
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Written by: Patricia K. Flanigan, Smart Strategies for Successful Living
Patricia K. Flanigan has worked in higher education for over 28 years. She holds a doctoral degree in Organizational Leadership from the University of La Verne as well as a M.A. in Latin American Studies and B.A. in Anthropology from the University of California, Los Angeles. Before retiring and moving to Idaho in 2015, she served as the dean of online education and learning resources at Saddleback College, a large community college in Southern California. She currently consults in higher education, volunteers for AARP, writes for a local magazine, and serves as an Affiliate Faculty member at Boise State University and a contributing member to LEARN Idaho. Since February 2017, she has been the founding director for Smart Strategies for Successful Living, a community-based website designed to promote quality aging. As an educator, her focus is to inspire others to live and age well.