When your job gets too much to handle, or when you feel that your relationship could do with some time apart, what you feel like doing is merely packing your bags and leaving on a journey with a bunch of your girlfriends. It's easier said than done because everybody needs to have prior notification. Some cannot make it because of their commitments, but it is time to tell your boss as well as your friends that a mini trip once a while is quite important, for you and your mental health! According to Southern Living, it's been proven that friendships extend one's life expectancy, lower chances of heart diseases, and even helps us tolerate pain a lot better.
Psychologists can predict the size of somebody's friend circle based on how much pain they can tolerate. Having good friends also helps you feel good about yourself. Researchers found evidence back in 2016 that hanging out with your friends increases the production of oxytocin-the feel-good hormone our body releases when we are happy. An abundance of oxytocin in our body can make people friendlier, more generous, and trusting.
It was also noted that people who didn't have a large group of friends tend to be more depressed and were even likely to die at a younger age. Another study looked at 309,000 people. It found a lack of strong social relations increased the risk of premature death by about 50%, which is the equivalent of what happens to you when you smoke about 15 cigarettes a day. Also, the risks of dementia increased depending on how lonely somebody felt.
Although having friends is very important, as we grow older, it becomes more challenging to maintain those friendships. We move on with our lives, we travel from city to city, we meet new people, we get jobs, and checking up on them occasionally and sending a message through social media is not enough. Although there are studies to prove distance does not dampen a friendship, it gets pretty hard to maintain a long-distance friendship.
So, if you are at a new place and at a complete loss to make new friends, the best way to do it is by talking, as The New York Times reports. You do not need to have a history with somebody when you start talking. Talk about the office space, how work is done here, what makes you feel alive, and your interests. You might find some common ground with them, and this is your chance to build that relationship. Only when you talk do you get to know if you share interests with the other person.
COMMENTS