The Power of Friendship...

I consider myself very lucky in the friendship category - I have been blessed with amazingly strong girlfriends throughout my life. My high school girls are still some of my favorite people in the whole world and to this day they make me a better person. In fact we have been texting the whole time I am writing this blog – lucky me! One of the hardest parts of the pandemic has been the lack of quality time with my ladies! It got me wondering about the power of friendship and what it means in our lives, so I did a little digging. It is not surprising that research supports the idea of friends being good for our mental health but I was surprised that they have found that strong friendships can help slow aging, speed up recovery and prolong life.*

One of the largest and most quoted studies took place at Harvard. “The Harvard Study has found a strong association between happiness and close relationships like spouses, family, friends, and social circles. “Personal connection creates mental and emotional stimulation, which are automatic mood boosters, while isolation is a mood buster,” says Dr. Waldinger.”

According to the Mayo Clinic friends can also:

· Increase your sense of belonging and purpose

· Boost your happiness and reduce your stress

· Improve your self-confidence and self-worth

· Help you cope with traumas, such as divorce, serious illness, job loss or the death of a loved one

· Encourage you to change or avoid unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as excessive drinking or lack of exercise

All of these are god enough reasons for me to justify more time with my friends – so watch out ladies – I’m coming for you!

*https://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/21/health/21well.html?_r=0