Improve Your Relationships: Create a Circle of Friends

[Krissy]

Life is all about relationships. It’s the glue that keeps us all together. Our friends are an important part of our life happiness. They can help reduce our stress. They provide us with an environment in which we can “give to” and “receive from.”

Our friends bring us joy and offer us support. “One study has shown that women who had one important relationship were 90% less likely to become depressed than women who had no such relationship.” (Stress Free Living, p. 137)

So what can you do to increase your number of friends?

1. Talk to people. Our primary way of communicating with others is through language. Start conversations. You never know where they might lead.

2. Join a group. Find one or two groups that interest you and become a member. Like to speak? Join Toastmasters. Want to learn something? Take a class at your local community college or through an adult education program.

3. Hang out. If you’re not really social, but want to start making more friends, begin with something simple – just being around other people. Taking a class or attending a local lecture or even going to see a play or a movie is a good way to gently ease your self into being around and interacting with others.

4. Connect. Re-connect with friends you already have. You probably have more friends than you think. Open your phonebook, or turn on your PDA, and start giving them a call. Schedule a lunch or breakfast, share an evening of good conversation, or enjoy a favorite activity together.

Your challenge this week is to connect with a couple of friends and schedule some sort of activity with each. In addition, plan to reach out to at least two new people and explore the possibilities of starting a new friendship. With nearly 7 billion people in this world, there is absolutely no excuse for not doing this! Have fun.

Friends Make Life More Fun,

Krissy Jackson

CEO and Founder

Laughing Kiwi Enterprises

http://www.laughingkiwi.com