Have a Happy Circle of Friends

Submitted by kimberleeferrell on Fri, 02/06/2009 - 14:43

Happy Friendships - It is human nature to seek out others like ourselves. We all have a desire to feel connected to other people, and share our lives with like-minded friends. Sometimes, we may find it difficult to make these friendships. Other times, we find ourselves so busy that we don't take the time to cultivate the friendships we already have, and they languish by the wayside.

Friendship is a two-sided coin. To have a happy life, you must have a comfortable number of friends, and strive to maintain those friendships. If you let either side slide, you overall happiness will not reach its highest potential

How to Find New Friends

If you are still searching for a happy number of friends, there are many outlets to which you can turn. Try these places to find new friends with similar interests and outlooks on life.

Join a club, organization, or other congregation of people. No matter what your interests are, chances are there is a group of people who gather to participate in it together on a regular basis. You may be nervous when joining a new group for the first time, but relax, be yourself, and be open to the potential of meeting new, happy people.
Put yourself in other social situations. Parties, festivals, and sporting events are all great examples of places where lots of people gather together. Go to events that interest you, with the intention of meeting happy people who could become your friends.
Volunteer. When you work with other people towards a common, meaningful goal, friendships are sure to blossom. Choose a cause that aligns with your beliefs, and be open and kind to everyone you meet.

How to Maintain Happy Friendships
Once you have a comfortable number of friends, you must spend time with them. Friendships are simply another form of relationship, and need maintenance and care to flourish and grow. Take the time to build happy friendships, and you will have a great time with all of the people you care about in life.

Allot a time to spend with your friends. Depending on your lifestyle, this can be once a week or once a month. Be sure to connect with your friends, and go out and have a fun, happy time. Choose events that both of you will enjoy, and fulfill these "friendship dates" as you would any other commitment.
Do little things to show you care. Send your friends a happy email that will brighten their day. Call them occasionally, simply to chat about the little details of your life. Even if life is keeping you busy, five minutes chatting with a friend can make both of you much happier.
Listen to their needs. Many times, we spend so much time socializing with our friends, that we forget to ask "How are you doing?" Often, there may be problems that they wouldn't talk about unless we ask. If you find that your friend is in need, offer to help. If there is no action that you can do, you can still lend a comforting ear to your friend.

Developing and maintaining happy friendships is a worthwhile task. You are not only cultivating your own happiness, but the happiness of others. You both can flourish and grow in your humanity, when you connect with another human being, walking a similar path.

Comments

Volunteering

Submitted by TPWard on Tue, 02/10/2009 - 13:37.

I can't tell you how happy it makes me to see that you included volunteering on this list! The reason I think it's a great way to meet people and build friendships is because not only do you have at least one thing in common - the cause you're volunteering for - but you're also bound to meet people that are willing to give of themselves. Giving in this way is rewarding in its own right, but to find other people that generous is definitely going to stack the deck in your favor when you're looking for friends!

Very true

Submitted by danielle on Sat, 02/07/2009 - 05:46.

It seems like such a simple idea - making good friends, but I believe these days we are losing our ability to do this. The idea of community is breaking down so much because everyone is so busy in their lives. I live in Pakistan and here I see a sense of community like it was in Australia when I was a kid - when neighbours are sick many people bring food and take care of their kids, people constantly drop in and visit, and friends last a lifetime. Mind you, even here it is breaking down now as women start working and everyone is busy.

Ultimately we are all here on altGlobe because we are trying to build a community, even if it is virtual, so these ideas about making friends and keeping them that Kimberlee has presented are incredibly relevant.

Danielle Ali Shah