….Through Friendship

The world that we live in has become so engulfed in the negative aspect of politics, the countless occurrence of violence, and the over aboundance of Social Media in everyday life; that we often forget to look past any of that and overlook the need to spend more time on ourselves.

Taking care of yourself…the physical and mental aspects of you…also requires you to be surrounded by people who help make you a better person. Our friends play an integral part in this equation! Whether you have 3 or 30 friends, developing a strong bond is beneficial to the joy in our lives and helps provide emotional support during tough times.

Sure, there are the times where your friends are super needy, those that have so much going on that you only hear from them every so often, or the ones that you can always pick up where you left off as if no time has gone by….but that’s the important part of these bonds.

Good friends will play integral parts in our most precious memories, they will raise a glass to our accomplishments, we can call them at 4am and they’ll pick up the phone. These friendships can enrich our lives in meaningful ways.

Happy people are more social and very contagious. Many studies in the area of happiness research shows that highly social groups are stronger in relationship ties, and social relations are necessary for people to feel happy. The need to belong scores high in every relationship. Anyone who is happy, usually serves as a virus-spreading act of humor and fun. These people are just a joy to be around.

Friends cut the small talk. There’s always that one friend that you can call and get straight to the point….and more importantly they will sit there and listen. This can lead to help when we are frazzled and stressed; this social support is important.

Friends help us live longer and improve our overall health. Substantial friendships keep us optimistic, which increases our satisfaction in life and lowers risk for depression. The social support from a friend can lead to: 1) an increase in exercise programs, 2) not dealing with things alone, or 3) refusing to give up in certain situations.

Whether you have “FRIENDS”…referencing the TV sitcom, “Bad-News Bears”, or “Thelma and Louise”; chances are you have made some good memories with many of friends and will continue to make more. And if you don’t feel you have the circle of friends you’d like to have, it’s never too late to make new friends and reap the benefits of a healthy friendship.

Article Written by:
Amanda Albiar, NSCF-CPT
Health & Fitness Professional
JKFITNESS, LLC
www.jk-fit.com