announcement

Have you been listening to me in Radio Mirchi in the morning... for the past 12 days people have been listening to me... It is just for a MINUTE. But very powerful tips are given... From yesterday it is about "happy married life" Listen to me tom if possible and interested... time & inclination is the key..

Friendship to ease you

Dear Friends,

I just had a really lovely phone conversation with my friend Amutha. Amutha has been sick in recent weeks and during our conversation, she told me that she felt she had recovered faster from her illness due to the support she received from friends like me. I was and am very touched by her remark. However, I am not surprised by the idea that friendships have the power to better our well-being.

Scientific studies reveal that friendships and positive emotional connections have an influential role over our health. In fact, our relationships with good friends are apparently even more important to our psychological well-being than family relationships. Such relationships for the elderly who remain socially active boost their cognitive functions and help them to stay healthier and live longer.

However, we all can enjoy the benefits of friendships, But we have to invest time and energy into developing and maintaining them. I know that sometimes this is easier said than done, but it is well worth the effort. According to the Mind experts, having friends can help you to reduce your stress levels, boost your self-esteem, improve your personal lifestyle and leave you feeling happier and more fulfilled. Now those are some substantial benefits.

Even with a busy lifestyle, you can find ways to maintain friendships. With the internet and cell phones and the like, it is easier than ever to connect with friends, so take advantage of those opportunities to make a short phone call, instant message or share on Facebook. Another way to keep up with friends is through lunch dates. We have to eat so why not invite a friend you to enjoy a meal so that you can catch up with each other? Any activity that will put you together with a friend for some quality time can make your life and theirs much better. The possibilities are many: shop together, play bridge, exercise at the gym, go for walks.

And if you are looking to build new friendships, try things like volunteering or joining a community group such as a trainers’ club, reading group, crafting circle, or some other organization that appeals to you and will put you in close proximity to others with similar interests. Don't be afraid to accept invitations to social events, even if you don't know very many people. You'll find it easier to get to know people and create friendships if you put yourself out there.

I'm sure you have some wonderful friends, but how long has it been since you made some time for them? It's never too late to reconnect with old friends or to work on finding and building new friendships. Having good friends really can be a lifesaver!

I challenge you to connect with at least three friends this week; whether they are friends from your past or you are reaching out to someone you'd like to know better.

Stay in touch

Dear Friends,

Over the last week or so, I have been feeling I need to spend a bit more time on my friendships. As I make it a point to listen to my intuition, I decided to call a good friend who has been on my mind, and the first thing he said was that he and his wife had been thinking about me too and were feeling a need to catch up with their friends. We all had a great laugh at the coincidence, and then we had a lovely chat, catching up on one another's lives. It was just another reminder to me how valuable my friends are and how important it is to find ways to stay in touch, even when they are far away.

Of course, getting together in person is the best, but isn't always feasible. Nowadays despite physical distances, there are so many ways to keep in touch that it is actually easy to do so. In addition to our home phones, we have cell phones to stay in touch from just about anywhere. And there are instant messaging programs that allow us to use the computer to catch up with people we haven't seen in a while. There are even some computer programs that allow you to talk to each other in real time with video!

If you are pressed for time, communicating with your friends all at once through a social networking site makes it really easy. Online social networking is a great way to keep up with everyone without having to contact each person separately to find out what they are up to. Many people post pictures, tell stories and relate bits about their family, events, and vacations. By posting regularly about what you are doing, you take advantage of this media to let others know what you are up to in your day-to-day life, as well.

And there are always emails or good old-fashioned letters, notes and postcards. Almost everyone enjoys finding a nice personal note in among the bills and junk mail.

Even if you are busy, I encourage you to do what you can to stay in touch with your friends. I have found that by taking advantage of some of the things I just mentioned I am able to enjoy my friendships all the more. I hope you will take this opportunity to catch up with someone you haven't heard from in a while. Why not see who comes to mind?