Few things have such a huge impact on happiness and the enjoyment, depth and plain fun of life as the friendships we have. It could be the friendships with our partners, family members, work colleagues and the people we have known for a few years now or since we were kids. Or even with people we have never even met at the other side of the world or the pets we love.
Authentic friends, especially in your workplace, can enrich your life and improve your health. Friends can help you celebrate good times and provide support during bad times. Friends prevent loneliness and gives you a chance to offer needed companionship, too. Friendship helps increase your sense of belonging and purpose, boost your happiness reducing stress, improve your self-confidence and self-worth, help you cope with traumas and encourage you to change or avoid unhealthy lifestyle habits. I live by the following quotes on friendship:
“What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others” Confucius
“When you judge someone, it says more about you, unless you really have walked a mile in their shoes” Edward Mills
“A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out” Walter Winchell
“Be yourself: everyone else is already taken” Oscar Wilde
“If you live to be 100, I hope I live to be 100 minus 1 day, so I never have to live without you” Winnie the Pooh