~Dale Carnegie
Friendship by Ralf Steinberger
Making friends is a topic that comes up pretty often in people's lives, so it's our Wellness Wednesday topic this week. I saw this quote from Real Simple which explains why it keeps coming up --
"Research shows we're replacing half our close friends every seven years, even into our 60s. It helps to know that the revolving door is a normal part of life."On the one hand, it doesn't sound very stable, does it? On the other hand, it's not just you who has this happen, and it's not just you who has to muddle through reaching out to old friends and acquaintances you've lost touch with and/or starting fresh. We're all in this together, even though it may not feel like it :-)
Another article about making friends as an adult has these bits:
* Want to make friends? Start a group...A weekly lunch. A monthly sewing circle. A quarterly movie night. Whatever works. Friends bring friends and suddenly it’s not so hard to meet cool new people.
* Many studies show older people are happier. What’s one of the reasons? They prune the jerks out of their social circles.
* If you want to stay close friends with someone, how often do you need to check in? Research says at least every two weeks.
Thoughts on adult friendships from the Vlog Brothers, Hank and John Green:
Links:
Introverts and extroverts
Start with Hello
Compliments
Empathetic Joy
Getting rid of lousy relationships
Another aspect of friendship is what I call the "friendlies" in our lives. These people couldn't be called close friends, or even friends, exactly, but people who brighten your day when you see them...at the grocery store, for example. These "friendlies" are important and, mostly, you don't even have to try hard to find them; they just sort of appear when you've come in contact with them a few times.
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