We Often Romanticize Friendship. We Love Our Friends, So We Like To Think Of Our Connections As Spontaneous And Fate-Driven.
While this is true to a point, friendship also has a practical side. We seek out specific people for social support. We develop certain friendships for a purpose, whether we are conscious of this fact or not. As explored in The School of Life‘s video The Purpose of Friendship, there are certain components to our relationships that help them to remain stimulating and enjoyable over time.
1. We Need Inspiration and Motivation.
Do you find yourself drawn to people who share similar goals? Good – that means you must be serious about reaching them! Social support is a key component in accomplishing difficult tasks. This is why we diet in groups, run in pairs, and study with others. A person with similar values, by the same thinking, can help us to stay on track when it comes to our personal lives. We seek out friends with similar morals, hoping to keep them strong – or with better ones, hoping to improve our own character.
2. We Need An Outlet To Better Process Our Emotions.
Have you ever noticed that speaking about your problems out loud helps them to seem more manageable? Vocalizing a problem helps us to mentally identify it and gain perspective. Having a sounding board with which to do this is incredibly valuable. Finding a friend who can help us with this process is very valuable. Some might even call it life changing.
3. We Need To Have Fun.
One of the most universally treasured attributes of friendship is the joy it brings into our lives. Laughter may seem frivolous, but it is actually a crucial component of mental stability. A friend who shares our specific sense of humor can break up life’s tension and fight stress. Humor is the very thing that adds color into our often monotonous daily grind. A good dose of laughter has even been proven to benefit our physical health and stimulate brain activity. An hour-long laugh session with a person you love is not a waste of time. It’s physical, mental, and emotional therapy!
4. We Need To Know That we’re Not Alone.
People who have been through significant life events together often bond very easily. Recovering addicts, for example, often meet one another in support groups and form lifelong friendships. New mothers, adjusting to sleep deprivation and uncertainty, develop strong bonds that transcend other societal barriers. People who meet in military service or police work experience a similar dynamic. Our traumas and obstacles in life – large and small – can often leave us feeling isolated. Nurturing friendships with similar people can help turn this isolation into a beautiful way to connect with another human being.
Article Source: http://unisoultheory.com/index.php/2017/03/31/choose-friends-practical-side-friendship/
Image Source: http://unisoultheory.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/choose-friends-practical-side-friendship-1024x536.jpg
VOCABULARY WORDS:
1. Seek out - To find someone or something by looking for them in a determined way.
2. Conscious - Noticing that something exists or is happening and realizing that it is
important.
3. Moral - Principles of right or wrong behavior that are generally accepted by a society
4. Exemplify - To be a typical example of something.
5. Internalize - To make attitudes or behavior part of one's nature by learning or unconscious
assimilation
6. Frivolous - Behaving in a silly way in situations where you should be behaving in a serious or sensible way.
7. Transcend - To become free of negative attitudes, thoughts, or feelings that limit what you
can achieve.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1. How many close friends do you have?
2. How do you choose your friends?
3. Why do we need friends?
4. What kind of friend are you?
