Making friends is hard, especially in adulthood
First, there are less formal ways to meet people. Adults don’t have as many opportunities as kids do to make friends (such as in settings like school, sports, or extracurricular activities).
Moreover, COVID-19 has influenced where (and how) adults form friends. People’s attitudes, routines, and priorities have changed in this epidemic age. All of this may make it difficult for adults to make friends.
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A survey conducted in 2021 found that People now say they have fewer friends than they had in the past. Also, the more conventional methods of forming acquaintances (such as at school, church, or through mutual friends) are becoming less popular. In America, the workplace is the place where people are most likely to meet new people.
It might be challenging to make new acquaintances and maintain healthy relationships. It can be challenging to understand the value of friendship as well. But, there are moments when we need to assess the number of friendships we have, what we can do to proactively strengthen them, and when to let them go.
Why is friendship important?
Because it enables us to connect with people who share our values or interests, friendship is crucial. Friends are encouraging company as we strive to live meaningful lives and help us avoid loneliness or isolation. They can also motivate us to follow our interests and aspirations and provide assistance or guidance through trying times.
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Our friendships contribute to our general happiness and mental wellness. In both our personal and professional lives, we develop relationships with people. And such connections might deepen over time. Depending on where we attend school or work, we might temporarily become friends with some people. But, some relationships are meant to endure a lifetime, regardless of how you first met them.
Whether faced with difficulties or in the course of our daily lives, they help us stay connected to our essential principles. When life seems dull, the emotional support we receive from our close friends helps us stay inspired and gives us motivation to face problems.
When faced with uncertainty, our friends are there to provide us the inspiration we need to embark on new adventures or endure difficult times. Our close friends can also see when we’re becoming overly preoccupied with our work or another issue in our life and alert us that we need to take a break.
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All throughout the many phases of our lives, our social support is right there by our side. Even when things get challenging, friends keep us grounded and help us recall what we value and want to accomplish in life. Genuine friends support us while we adjust to a new change. They help us feel less stressed, identify our comfort zones, and keep us from feeling lonely. They also serve to remind us of our potential.
Ten advantages 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:
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- 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
We at Better Up have witnessed the advantages of social relationships. Better Up Members reported a rise in social relationships as a result of the possibility to engage with other Members. Those who are connected to others well report having 25% more life satisfaction, 18% more job satisfaction, and 17% more meaning and purpose in their work.
Three typical barriers to friendship and strategies for overcoming them
It can be challenging to find common ground and keep relationships strong. Life happens, and occasionally our ability to forge solid relationships is hindered by becoming overly busy or by another factor.
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Go through these three typical roadblocks to relationship formation, and if any of them apply to you, take special attention to how you can get beyond them:
If you frequently overlook things
If you want to remember your engagements, write them down in a place you can quickly find them. We all forget stuff, but if you can’t remember to make those social jumps and get out to meet people, your social skills won’t become any better. Employ a bulletin board in your home, a paper or digital calendar, or sticky notes.
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If you have a ton of work
Call a friend and ask them to come along if you have any errands or tasks to complete. Together, you can go to the gym, shop for groceries, and work from home.
While you’re about it, ask your friend if they have anything on their to-do list that you both can complete. It might be simple to spend time together.
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If you worry about being rejected
Having been hurt or mistreated in the past, we may find it difficult to establish new relationships. Consider the advantages of social assistance rather than viewing them as things that will eventually collapse and do you harm. To learn how to have a positive attitude about establishing friends, consider speaking with a therapist.
Every one of us faces limitations. Through BetterUp, a coach can give you the perspective you need to increase your self-confidence, learn how to put yourself out there, and develop the skills you need to form the enduring friendships you deserve.
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Social media and friendship
A vast universe is presented to us through social media. Whether it’s because to the COVID-19 pandemic or our distance from one another, social media allows us to stay in touch with folks we can’t see in person. Also, it enables us to grow our social network and create new online pals.
But, social media has significant drawbacks in terms of friendship. It can be a very useful tool, but it can also be an obstruction. The connection between social media and mental health is complex. While it has advantages, it has also been shown to have some detrimental effects on mental health.
We risk missing out on chances if we spend too much time idolizing social media users or consuming material. We might lose out on nearby friends and acquaintances with whom we could form deeper bonds, which would be detrimental to our self-esteem.
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5 suggestions for enhancing your friendships
Friendships develop throughout time. Adults experience life at various speeds, such as being the only friend who is single or the only one with kids.
Here are five suggestions to think about to make friendships stronger, regardless of your differences and potential barriers to your relationships:
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- 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 decide whether or not to discontinue a friendship
You will benefit from the lesson of the value of friendship for the rest of your life. Both your wellbeing and sense of worth will increase. We can better appreciate what our friends can accomplish for us when we realize that friendship is more than just a passing bond. They improve our physical and emotional well-being and enrich our quality of life.
But, there are instances when we have to accept that some friendships are unhealthy.
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Here are five guidelines to help you recognize when it’s time to terminate toxic partnerships and find new friends to wrap off this friendship lesson:
- 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.
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