As humans, we are hardwired for connection. We all want people that we can do life together with and feel supported when things get challenging.
61% of U.S. adults say having close friends is extremely or very important for people to live a fulfilling life, according to this article.
Friends that can really help us to:
- Get through really difficult life transitions
- Make life more enjoyable
- Provide support and encouragement
- Prevent isolation and loneliness
- Keep us healthy!
In fact, “people over age 65 who have good friendships are 2X less likely to report poor health than those who are lonely most of the time.” (source)
Another source states, “Chronic loneliness triggers certain behavioral changes and also kickstarts the immune system’s inflammation response. Chronic inflammation contributes to a range of diseases including Alzheimer’s, diabetes, cancer, arthritis and heart disease.”
This article talks about a study about people in their 80s. Those people that showed memories/cognitive abilities that were much stronger for their age group typically had much more positive social relationships than people of the same age whose memories were “normal” for their age.
According to that same article, loneliness can also “cause many psychiatric disorders, such as depression, personality disorders, alcohol use and sleep disorders, and may even contribute to physical health problems.”
Is that sinking in?
People who have good friends are much less likely to have poor health and develop diseases.
Those statistics alone really prove that having good, quality friendships is so important. However, the key word here is quality. Many times, we can have friends and an active social life, but still feel very lonely. In this blog, we talked about the chameleon effect and why that causes isolation in our relationships.
If we are too scared to show up as our real selves, we end up feeling not truly part of any group. And that can be very lonely.
In this blog, you’ll hear about my friend “Jane” and her obstacles with health issues and loneliness. I’ll also share 3 things she did to build better connection with friends; these are tips you can use in your life as well.
Want to meet new friends…but don’t know where to start?
Build a lasting circle of friends with the Friendship Road Map – your free gift for signing up for the Rosa Joy newsletter.
- Go from “alone and doing nothing” to having weekends that are jam-packed with festivals, hikes, taking classes, and backyard barbecues with good friends.
- Discover interesting outlets for meeting people, even if it seems like there’s not much to do where you live.
- Most people say they want good friends, but never do anything about it. I’ll show you how to take the actions up front to not only meet new people, but to find the RIGHT friends for you.
Stop spinning your wheels, wondering how to make friends as an adult. Instead, get started building the friendships you deserve! Subscribe now to get this free 3-Page Guide.
