Are You A Good Friend?

This Week's Simple Tip: I am often surprised when people say to me "you are so good about remembering everyone's birthdays" or "you really make the effort to keep in touch." Isn't caring and checking-in what being friends is all about? Friendships are an essential ingredient in a happy and healthier life. In fact while we think of work and family in balancing one's life, there is lots of research to support the fact that in a truly balanced life, work, family, love, self-care and friends are all equally important. While friends are likely to be less demanding of our time than family members and bosses, we still need to give them the care and attention they deserve, with the nurturing ideally being two-way. Because of our limited time and energy, it becomes important to prioritize which friendships to nurture. How do you decide? My book (below) explains that not all friendships are equal, and suggests a simple and enlightening approach to allocate your friendship time. Having friends brings health benefits, makes aging easier, and give us a way of handling some of the emotional burdens of daily life. If you are interested, you can read more on how to be a better friend.

This Week's Focus:

This week, think about the people in your life, and which ones you have stronger ties with, or wish you did. Start allocating most of your friendship energy and time on nurturing your strong established friendships, while making time to also cultivate new ones.