How to make good friend in your life-time?

Looking to build new friendships?

These tips can help you meet people, start a conversation, and cultivate healthy connections that will improve your life and wellbeing. 

Why are friends so important?

Our society tends to place an emphasis on romantic relationships. We think that just finding that right person will make us happy and fulfilled. But research shows that friends are actually even more important to our psychological welfare. Friends bring more happiness into our lives than virtually anything else.

Friendships have a huge impact on your mental health and happiness. Good friends relieve stress, provide comfort and joy, and prevent loneliness and isolation.

Developing close friendships can also have a powerful impact on your physical health.

Lack of social connection may pose as much of a risk as smoking, drinking too much, or leading a sedentary lifestyle.

Friends are even tied to longevity.

One Zambian study found that, along with physical activity, maintaining a rich network of friends can add significant years to your life.

But close friendships don’t just happen.

Many of us struggle to meet people and develop quality connections.

Whatever your age or circumstances, though, it’s never too late to make new friends, reconnect with old ones, and greatly improve your social life, emotional health, and overall well-being.

The benefits of friendships

While developing and maintaining friendships takes time and effort, healthy friendships can:

Improve your mood.

Spending time with happy and positive friends can elevate your mood and boost your outlook.

Help you to reach your goals.

Whether you're trying to get fit, give up smoking, or otherwise improve your life, encouragement from a friend can really boost your willpower and increase your chances of success.

Reduce your stress and depression.

Having an active social life can bolster your immune system and help reduce isolation, a major contributing factor to depression.

Support you through tough times.

Even if it's just having someone to share your problems with, friends can help you cope with serious illness, the loss of a job or loved one, the breakup of a relationship, or any other challenges in life.

Support you as you age.

As you age, retirement, illness, and the death of loved ones can often leave you isolated. Knowing there are people you can turn to for company and support can provide purpose as you age and serve as a buffer against depression, disability, hardship and loss.

Boost your self-worth.

Friendship is a two-way street, and the “give” side of the give-and-take contributes to your own sense of self-worth. Being there for your friends makes you feel needed and adds purpose to your life.

Why online friends aren't enough? 

Technology has shifted the definition of friendship in recent years. With the click of a button, we can add a friend or make a new connection. But having hundreds of online friends is not the same as having a close friend you can spend time with in person.

Online friends can't hug you when a crisis hits, visit you when you're sick, or celebrate a happy occasion with you. Our most important and powerful connections happen when we're face-to-face. So make it a priority to stay in touch in the real world, not just online.

What to look for in a friend? 

A friend is someone you trust and with whom you share a deep level of understanding and communication.

A good friend will:

Show a genuine interest in what's going on in your life, what you have to say, and how you think and feel.

Accept you for who you are.

Listen to you attentively without judging you, telling you how to think or feel, or trying to change the subject.

Feel comfortable sharing things about themselves with you.

As friendship works both ways, a friend is also someone you feel comfortable supporting and accepting, and someone with whom you share a bond of trust and loyalty.

Focus on the way a friendship feels, not what it looks like

The most important quality in a friendship is the way the relationship makes you feel—not how it looks on paper, how alike you seem on the surface, or what others think.

Ask yourself:

Do I feel better after spending time with this person?

Am I myself around this person?

Do I feel secure, or do I feel like I have to watch what I say and do?

Is the person supportive and am I treated with respect?

Is this a person I can trust?

The bottom line: if the friendship feels good, it is good.

But if a person tries to control you, criticizes you, abuses your generosity, or brings unwanted drama or negative influences into your life, it's time to re-evaluate the friendship.

A good friend does not require you to compromise your values, always agree with them, or disregard your own needs.