What's the importance of friendship

Why Is Friendship Important in Life? Here’s Why

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Why is friendship important?

10 benefits of friendship

3 common obstacles to making friends and how to overcome them

Social media and friendship

5 tips to strengthen your friendships

How to know when it's time to let a friendship go

Making friends is hard, especially in adulthood.

First, there are less structured ways to make friends. Adults don’t have many of the same opportunities to build friendships (like school, athletics, or extracurricular settings) like children do.

COVID-19 has also impacted how (and where) adults make friends. In this pandemic era, people’s behaviors, habits, and priorities have changed. All of this can lead to challenges when making friends as an adult.

According to a 2021 survey, Americans report having fewer friendships than they once did. And the more traditional ways of making friends (like school, church, or through existing friends) are on the decline. Americans are more likely to make new friends at work than any other avenue.

Making friends and keeping those healthy relationships isn't always a walk in the park. It can be hard to recognize why friendship is important, too. But sometimes we need to evaluate how many friendships we have, what we can actively do to strengthen them, and when to let them go.

Why is friendship important?

Friendship is important because it helps us build connections with people who share our values or interests. Friends help us prevent loneliness or isolation and are supportive companions as we work toward living purposeful lives. They can also encourage us to pursue our passions and dreams and offer support or advice in hard times.

Our friendships help our mental health and overall happiness. We build human connections in our professional lives and personal lives. And over time, those connections may grow. We might make friends with people temporarily, depending on where we go to school or work. Some friendships last for life, though, regardless of where you meet these people.

They connect us to our core values at work, when facing challenges, or during our daily life. The emotional support we receive from our close friends helps inspire us when life feels dull and provides encouragement to overcome challenges.

When we’re faced with uncertainty, our friends are there to provide the positive encouragement that we need to embrace new journeys or face tough times. Our good friends can also notice and let us know that we’re becoming consumed with work or another problem in our lives and need to take a break.

Our social support is right beside us throughout the different stages of our lives. Friends keep us grounded and help us remember what we value and want to achieve in life — even when things get tricky. True friends stand by us when we're adjusting to a new change. They remind us of our potential, relieve stress, recognize our comfort zones, and prevent us from feeling lonely.

10 benefits of friendship

Besides being important, what is the point of having friends? It turns out that friendship can prevent health issues alongside various other emotional or mental health benefits. Take a read through these 10 benefits of friendship:

Gives us a sense of belonging
Builds our confidence and self-esteem
Helps prevent health problems like high blood pressure and heart disease
Combats social isolation and loneliness
Teaches us new things and grows our perspectives
Helps us grieve the loss of loved ones and family members
Provides emotional support when romantic relationships don't work out
Motivates us to reach our goals and try new things
Brings humor to our lives
Helps us leave unhealthy habits behind

At BetterUp, we’ve seen the positive impact of social connections. With opportunity to connect with other Members, BetterUp Members reported an increase in social connections. Those high in social connection have 25% higher life satisfaction, 18% higher job satisfaction, and feel 17% more meaning and purpose in their work.

3 common obstacles to making friends and how to overcome them

Finding common ground and sustaining friendships isn't easy. Life happens, and sometimes we grow busy or something holds us back from developing strong relationships.

Read through these three common obstacles to forming friendships, and if they pertain to you, pay extra attention to how you can overcome them:

1. If you always forget things

Write your engagements down somewhere where you'll see them easily if you forget about them. We all forget things, but you won't see any improvement in your social skills if you can't remember to take those leaps and get out to meet people. Use your physical or virtual calendar, sticky notes, or a message board in your house.

2. If you have lots to do

If you have errands to run or things to do, call a friend and invite them along. You can go to the gym, go grocery shopping, and work from home together.

While you're at it, see if your friend has anything to check off on their to-do list that you share and can accomplish together. Spending time together can be easy.

3. If you're afraid of rejection

Being betrayed or abused in the past can prevent us from building social connections again. Rather than see them as things that will eventually fail and hurt you, think of the benefits of social support. Try talking to a therapist to find ways to build a healthy attitude towards making friends.

We all have obstacles that limit us. With BetterUp, a coach can provide the perspective you need to build up your self-confidence and develop skills to put yourself out there and make the solid friendships you deserve.

Social media and friendship

Social media presents us an enormous world. Social media helps us stay connected with those we can't see in person, whether it's because of the COVID-19 pandemic or we live far apart. It also allows us to make new friends online and expand our social network.

But there are some cons to social media in terms of friendship. While it can be a great tool, it can also get in the way. Social media and mental health have a tricky relationship. While it brings benefits, it’s also be proven to have some negative mental health impacts.

If we spend too much time idolizing social media figures or consuming content, it can distract us from opportunities in front of us. We could miss out on friends who live close by and people with whom we could have deeper connections while negatively impacting our self-esteem.

5 tips to strengthen your friendships

Friendships change and evolve. In adulthood, people experience life at different paces — like being the only friend who isn't married or the only one with children.

Regardless of your differences and the potential obstacles to your relationships, here are five tips to consider to strengthen friendships:

Be a good listener when your friends are talking —especially if you haven’t seen them in awhile
Make an effort to keep a positive attitude
Be consistent with your communication if there’s distance between you
Open up and be vulnerable with your friends
Show that you're reliable and trustworthy, even if you have a busy schedule — your friends deserve to be prioritized

How to know when it's time to let a friendship go

Learning the importance of friendship is a lesson that will benefit you for the rest of your life. Your self-worth will grow, and so will your well-being. Understanding that friendship is more than a fleeting connection helps us see the value in what our friends can do for us. They help our mental health, keep our physical health in line, and make life more enjoyable.

But sometimes, we must realize that some friendships aren't healthy.

To finish off this lesson in friendship, here are five tips to know when it's time to let unhealthy friendships go and move on to meet new people:

Your friend has overstepped the boundaries you've set
They try to change or influence you to be someone you're not
There's a lack of interest or effort put into the friendship
They lie and share your secrets behind your back
They never apologize when they've hurt you or done something wrong

Finding objective support from someone outside of your circle of friends makes a world of difference. With BetterUp, a coach can provide the guidance you need to help you set your boundaries and make connections with people who will support you for the long haul.

The Importance of Friendship | Psychology Today

Source: Photo by Antonino Visalli on Unsplash

As we move through life, we find that there are many things out of our control. We can’t choose our parents, our genetics, or control the things that happen in the world around us. One thing that we can control is who our friends are, and this decision can either make our lives so much richer and beautiful, or more stressful and disappointing. Today we’ll focus on how to choose friends who enrich our lives and make them more beautiful.

Why friends are so important

Having solid friendships is important for two main reasons. First, they make life more enjoyable. We get to share the beautiful aspects of life with people who we love, which can enrich our everyday experiences. Second, our friends help us through the difficult times. Having friends to support us through hard times can make unimaginably difficult situations seem more tolerable.

The most beautiful part about pouring our time and energy into friendships is that not only do friends help enrich our lives, but we enrich theirs too! Friendships get us through the tough times in life, make things more fun and enjoyable, and all-around make our lives better. I urge you to take stock of your friendships and ask yourself if your current friends people build you up and support you, or is the friendship more one-sided?

As we explore friendships today, these are also inclusive of our partners. I believe that the foundation for any healthy relationship is friendship. So it’s important to group our romantic partners into this conversation too.

So, where do we find friends? This might sound silly, but finding friends can be challenging! When I first moved to California for my Ph.D., I didn’t have any friends out here. There were quite a few people in my program that I enjoyed spending time with. But, towards the end of school, they became very busy and were no longer able to dedicate time to hang out anymore. Thankfully, through the help of a very good therapist, I learned that it was important to enjoy life instead of striving for excellence all of the time. As a result, I learned how important it was to carve out time in my life for friends.

Unfortunately, the people I had dedicated time to thus far were achievement-oriented and were pouring their time into work and not our friendships. This forced me to seek out other ways to form connections with people. I ended up finding a local hiking group with the hopes of meeting people with similar interests. During one of these hikes, I met Jim, one of my best friends to this day.

We became instant friends. We have continued to support each other over the years, and even more importantly, we always make time for one another. We both view the friendship as one that makes each other’s lives better, therefore it’s always worth the time and energy. The backbone of any successful friendship is one where both sides put in equal effort and support.

Both Jim and I were forced to put in more effort when he moved across the country to the East Coast. Because we already had such a strong foundation, this didn’t impact our friendship. We talk all of the time and see each other several times a year. We make the relationship a priority no matter what coast each other is on. Like anything in life that is valuable to us, we must work at it and put time and effort into it.

When it's time to move on from a friendship

The second part of the friendship discussion can be a difficult one — reassessing your current friendships and potentially moving on from friends who don’t add value to your life.

Two of my best friends from high school went down different paths from me. We still keep in contact, but I don’t spend too much time with them anymore. The supporting, loving part of our relationship wasn’t there anymore, so it was no longer worth putting energy into maintaining a friendship that had changed so much.

This may be a story you can relate to. What I hope you take away from this post is this — friendships take energy, time, and commitment. And if you’re putting your time and energy into someone who isn’t enriching your life and giving you the support you need, it may be time to reevaluate that friendship.

If you find yourself in the market for friends (who isn’t?) I recommend you find groups or activities that you genuinely enjoy. This way you’ll have the opportunity to connect with people who have similar interests. And once you’re there, take a risk! Talk to people, exchange contact information, and follow up with them. It may feel scary at first, but the reward outweighs the momentary uncomfortable feeling you may have.

Friendship and dating

In many ways, the most important friendship in our lives is the one we have with our romantic partners. The first criteria we should look for in this partner is someone who is ultimately a good friend to us, meaning that they are kind, positive, loving, and supportive. If we’re dating someone and they’re a jerk, it’s probably safe to assume that they’re not a good friend. To avoid this, I recommend seeking out someone who is a good friend first, i.e. before the romance and sexual stuff gets in the way.

When there are bumps in a friendship or a romantic relationship, it’s important to work through those tough times. The tricky part is that it will take two people to fix that issue. We can only control our actions and hold ourselves accountable, but we cannot control our friend or our partner's reaction. In addition to our own actions, we have control over the friends or partners that we choose in the first place. If we prioritize choosing good people who we can trust will work through issues with us, then we can work through anything.

Friendships are a crucial part of living a fulfilling life. It’s so important that we surround ourselves with people who we have fun with, who support us, and people who make us better. You may already have beautiful friendships in your life, but if you’re still in the market for friends, it’s never too late to cultivate new relationships that will make your life even more magnificent.

The role of friendship in our life

Friendship, like love, can appear unexpectedly and for a long time. One thing is known for sure, there can be a large number of acquaintances, and there are many friends, but close friends are much less.

From early childhood we are familiar with this type of relationship between people, oddly enough, but we begin to trust a complete stranger. With each meeting, your friendship grows stronger, and you learn something new about each other.

In childhood, communication begins with the neighbor's children, when children play together from morning to evening. nine0007

School is a new stage in a child's life, he is in the same class as strangers and he needs to adapt as quickly as possible. In most cases, stronger-minded children begin to get to know weaker ones, creating some kind of alliance, sitting at the same desk, helping with homework and tests. Friends go to the canteen together, leave school together, while waiting for a friend if he has some business left at school, and eventually go home.

And so it continues for all 11 years spent at school, if you have not moved to another and have not acquired new classmates, because everything starts all over again. nine0007

Friendship at school is short-lived, it all ends at the last bell. What awaits each of you next, no one knows, maybe you will go to the same institute together, or maybe to the same faculty, then the friendship will continue, otherwise the connection may break off.

A familiar person whom you know superficially, that is, without really knowing when his birthday is, what his last name is, just remembering the name (and even then not the fact), appearance, and he is always present in the list of friends on social networks. Perhaps you won’t even recognize a friend when you meet them on the street, and if you do, the dialogue will continue for a minute, questions about how you are, how your work is, girlfriend, wife, husband, mother, and that’s it. You say goodbye and go in different directions and, perhaps, in a month you will meet each other again. nine0007

Friends are people you know better, and not for the first year. With them you spend the weekend, attend various events. Friends are invited to birthday parties, have fun. The number of friends, unlike acquaintances, is much less, but if you have more than 10 friends, then most likely one of them is just an acquaintance. It is friends who will keep you company in a crazy undertaking, simply because you have common interests and similar outlooks on life. Spending time together helps to strengthen friendship, and trust grows much faster. nine0007

Close friends are people, and in particular, one specific person who is almost like family to you, you know about his life, fears, desires, internal problems of a personal nature. You can often come to each other's house, even early in the morning, cook breakfast and drink tea half-asleep, and talk about everything that comes to mind.

A person who is more than just a friend, closer and dearer, he is close in spirit, he is like you. Perhaps he is distinguished by a calmer rhythm of life, wisdom beyond his years, he will listen to you, will not interrupt and impose his point of view, but will simply give advice, and it is up to you to decide what is best to do. nine0007

A person who already feels you spiritually, that is, when you feel bad, do not be surprised by a call at that very moment. Such people are rare in our lives, and at the very beginning of communication you have a lot of common values and opinions, topics that you can talk about for hours, and you will not get bored at all.

In my opinion, this is a gift from above, because few people have people who are not related by blood, but are so kindred in spirit that you can call them at any time or meet and talk, and the soul becomes easier, and you want to live. nine0007

And finally. Appreciate friendship, no one owes you anything, this is mutual help, joy, achievements and much more that is worthy of being cherished, strengthened and supported for many years.

Farangis TILLOEVA

Importance of friendship in our life [15 reasons]

In fact, friendship does not fit any definition. This is a relationship that cannot be described in words.

Friends are those who make you feel good, they will laugh at the most awkward moment of your life to make you feel better. They are the ones who will be by your side in times of happiness and in those moments when you need them most. nine0007

When the world turns to you, they will be by your side. The importance of friendship in our lives is indescribable.

The foundation of any relationship is friendship. Whether it is a relationship with a spouse, children, colleague or neighbor, friendship will be the foundation of the relationship. Without friends, life would be boring and meaningless.

Here are 15 reasons why friendship is so important.

1. Supports us in difficult times

Everyone goes through difficult stages in life. At times like these, you need a shoulder to cry on. Friends can give just that. They will be there to listen to pointless conversations and still acknowledge whatever you say to ease your heart. nine0007

They will be there to advise you on how to get through the difficult times you are going through. They will show you the kindness you need when you are in trouble. It is they who understand you and will give you positive energy in any situation.

The importance of friendship in our lives

2. Improves the quality of life

Just imagine what life would be like without friends. No one to root for your favorite team, no one to hang out with when you have nothing to do. They make our boring days fun. nine0007

In general, they add meaning to your life. With friends, you laugh out loud, which makes you energetic and healthy. It can help you overcome depression and thus improve your mental health.

3. Supports our activity

Friends will do anything at any time. They can take you on an adventure trip or somewhere beautiful. When you don't have friends, you are likely to spend time alone at home playing video games or watching TV. But with friends, you are more likely to go out to play or visit clubs and other places. nine0007

Friends will always keep you in good shape, so you will be active all day long. This will help you lead a healthy lifestyle.

the importance of friendship day

4. Share secrets

We all have some dark secrets in life, and friends are like secret banks where your secrets are completely safe. You can talk to your friends about your stupid mistakes, family problems, etc. You can just pour out your heart with your friends.

what is the importance of friendship

5. Increases self-confidence

Sometimes we doubt our abilities and decisions. But friends will never doubt you. They will be there to encourage you to move forward in life. No matter how difficult the task may be, they will push you to overcome all obstacles and complete the task.

They will help you achieve your dreams and goals by supporting you from the outside. They believe in you and that is the most important driving force you need to move forward in life. nine0007

6. Comfort zone

You can be alone with your friends. Whether you're in pajamas, drooling on your face, or without makeup, they just don't care. They love you just the way you are. They saw you in the ugliest manifestations and in the most terrible situations in life. They know you inside out.

They know your weaknesses, shortcomings, dark past, everything, and yet they are there for you. You don't have to pretend to them. So, you are in your comfort zone when you are with friends. nine0007

7. Reality check

Friends have the ability to predict situations that we cannot. For example, they will know if your boyfriend or girlfriend is cheating on you; or they'll tell you if your outfit looks good or outrageous.

They will bring you the harsh truth without making you feel overwhelmed. Friends will always bring you back to reality as you wander through seventh heaven.

8. Unconditional love

Our family loves us because we share blood. But friends love us unconditionally. They give us unconditional love without expecting anything in return. When you need them, they will be there for you, no matter the situation. They will always be there to support you. nine0007

You will only get this kind of love from your family. We share the most wonderful relationships with our friends, and the time spent with them becomes the most unforgettable in our lives.

9. Lots of fun

You will never hear the funniest jokes unless you are with your friends. Gossiping about others, talking about new movie or song releases, going to concerts and clubs all happen when you are with friends. These long hours of gossip over the phone or in person will forever enlighten your heart. Hanging out with friends instantly lifts your spirits. We spend the most joyful and exciting times of our lives with friends. nine0007

10. Strengthens relationships

Long-term relationships will only work if there is friendship. If there is no friendship, there will be no necessary trust, love and support. So, friendship is the foundation of any relationship.

11. Mental growth

Friendship helps the mind to turn into a healthy garden and protects it from decay. Friends help overcome the dark thoughts of the mind. They help you focus on the important things in life. They can refresh your mind with humor and fun activities. nine0007

Friendship trains the mind to forget negative thoughts. Negative thoughts can flood your mind. They eat up a person's happiness. It becomes difficult for a person to focus on the positive things in life. Friends are one of the best cures for this problem. Friends can get you out of bad emotional situations. They help us see things with greater clarity. They show us the brighter side of our problems. By focusing on the positive side, these problems can be overcome. When you are alone, it is impossible to face your problems alone all the time. nine0007

We need someone to share our problems with. Someone who can hear your concerns without judging you. Friends do their best to help you overcome bad thoughts and move on to a more positive approach to life. Friendship helps keep your mental health from being destroyed or disturbed. Friends are the gardeners of the human mentality.

12. Stress control

Having friends relieves stress. Friends will make you take your mind off the boring routine or stressful issues in your life. They are there when your life seems to be a mess. Friends make you look constructively at your mistakes. You can improve your working methods. nine0007

Friends know how to make you realize your mistakes. They won't make you feel ashamed or embarrassed in front of other people. They mend our ways and create better versions of ourselves.

When you're stuck in an academic routine or working in an office, friends are there to make you feel better. Friendship helps to get rid of the stress of such monotonous routine. Friends have meaningful conversations with you. As you live your life, you often need guidance and advice. nine0007

Sometimes we act stubborn or tend to do things without thinking. The mind at this time goes blind and does not think about the consequences. Friends are there to talk to you so that you can see the fallacy of your path. They keep us from making mistakes that we might regret later in our lives. These mistakes can also cause harm to other people as well as the person himself.

13. Physical growth

Together with friends, not only mental but also physical health improves. When friends participate in various physical activities, they convince you to take part in them too. Sports and games help to get a healthy and strong body. Playing sports expands the possibilities of the mind and body. As they teach you, playing with friends becomes even more rewarding. If you can't do something in particular, they will help you achieve it through a variety of methods. nine0007

Friends do not bully physical health or appearance. They are trying to improve you along with them. They invest time and effort into you to become a better person.

Both physical and mental health complement each other. A mentally healthy person will be more prone to physical activity. Hence, it will improve his physique.

Involving friends improves both mental and physical health. Friends cheer up while playing sports. They congratulate you when you win and encourage you to try your best when you lose. They don't make you feel weak or incompetent. Recognition of friends strengthens trust in a person. This confidence helps a person break out of an unhealthy routine. A person tends to engage in more fruitful and healthy activities. nine0007

14. Social improvement

Friends are good for a social company. As people move into society, people cannot be completely alone. People need company, and friends are the best company. Friends are attentive to what you like and what you don't like. Friends help to become more socially active and intelligent. Staying with good friends, a person learns the manners and behavior that should be in society.

Some people may make you socially anxious and insecure. You need to learn how to deal with these situations and people. Friends prove very valuable in such scenarios. They try to prevent such situations from occurring. If somehow these situations do arise, they stand up for you. Gradually, a person masters the skills of interaction and communication. nine0007

15. Give a boost

Friends are one of the most valuable values in life. Friendship helps you build each other up and can help you overcome your fears and achieve your life's goals. Often there are some fears in life that prevent people from pursuing what they desire. Friends push you out of your comfort zone so you can learn new things. They make you realize that fear is just a voice in our head. This voice continues to fuel the mind with negativity. This negativity creates barriers to healthy thinking. nine0007

Overcoming fear makes things easier. For example, if you want to perform a specific task. Friends will help you by teaching and letting you know that it is not difficult. They will appreciate your efforts, even if you want to quit smoking. Sometimes they add humor to the situation so that you don't get discouraged by your failures. They will keep you going and you will get better at it after a while. It would be very difficult without friends. Friends make it easier to achieve your goals.

Friendship makes life meaningful

A person who remains lonely and has no friends will find it difficult to live with people. They have a hard time deciding what to do. Friendship adds purpose to life as friends encourage you to pursue what you want. They help you move through life with a more determined and focused approach. It's hard to find good friends, you have to invest time and effort in people to make friends.

Friends stay with you through the hardest and worst times of your life. When a person feels completely lost and broken, friends come to the rescue. Friends see your smiles and know when you are in pain. They know you better than other people. Not everyone understands the intent and purpose of your actions and words. Friends respect your ideas and thoughts. nine0007

We humans want to be understood. Friends fulfill this desire and help to restrain their mind and thoughts. They understand and know who you really are. As it is rightly said: “One of the most beautiful qualities of friendship is to understand and be understood.”

As they say, "everything is possible if you have the right people around you." This means that when there are good friends in life, life goals become easier to achieve. Friends are an important part of a person's life because they are by your side during difficult and difficult times. Life without friends will not be easy. nine0007

Conclusion

Unless you have social anxiety disorder (SAD), there is no reason why you shouldn't have friends. Only people with this syndrome avoid friendship altogether.

The reasons mentioned here are enough to understand the importance of friendship. Don't miss the chance to make new friends. You should always appreciate the love and care they give you.

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