Making Deeper Connections

It seems that the more we utilize social media like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, the more we become disconnected from each other. Sure, these social media platforms were designed to connect us to one another – and for reconnecting with old friends from high school it’s wonderful – but lately, it seems as though social media gets in the way of making deeper connections.

It could be that it’s winter, or that it’s February, but it seems like this time of year especially, people are more isolated and depressed. Connecting with friends and family in real life can be a challenge, especially if they’ve moved over the years and it has become more difficult to get together. But, I think it’s important to try connecting, in real life, with people.

We know how important it is to have a core group of friends, a tribe if you will, of people who have our backs. Knowing we have a handful of loyal and loving friends to turn to when things become too much to bear, can be a literal life saver.

A recent study from the University of Michigan found that people with close friendships lived longer than those who did not. Other benefits of meaningful relationships include – healthier behavior, lower incidence of chronic illnesses, higher levels of happiness and lower mortality.

Those are some pretty good reasons to maintain or create friendship bonds if they’ve gone by the wayside.

And, it’s easy for friendships to do just that. It’s easy to make friends in school. Whether kindergarten or college, it’s much easier to meet people we’re likely to have common likes, hobbies, and interests than when we enter the workforce. However, once we start families, it’s very easy to let those friendships fall by the wayside as time becomes a precious commodity.

It’s not too late to resurrect an old friendship or to make new ones.

If it’s been a while since you talked to your best friend from high school, pick up the phone and give her a call. If she lives nearby set a date to get together to catch up over lunch or coffee. Don’t just ‘friend’ her on Facebook, get together in real life and reconnect.

If you find yourself in a place in life where you need to make new friends there are some great networks out there that help do just that. You can use an app like Meetup, or simply take a class in something that interests you. There are ample pottery classes, cooking classes and even wine making classes that are offered from various stores and services for people who are interested in learning something new and meeting new people. It’s also a great way to get off the couch and off of Facebook.

So as February comes to an end, consider making deeper connections with the people you call friends. You’ll feel a whole lot better.

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