At Beacon Hill, we know the value of true friendship. Our residents here at our retirement community say they are enjoying truly meaningful and rewarding friendships in this phase of life. And whether you’re making new friends or keeping old ones, improving the quality of your relationships can always benefit you and those you care about. Here are a few tips to consider to be a better friend to those around you.
Tip #1: Keep in Contact
The first step for starting or maintaining any relationship is to have contact. Whether it’s a text, phone or an email, reaching out to a friend lets them know you care and are thinking about them. Connecting with others can have a huge impact on overall mental health. Research indicates positive social interactions are linked with a sense of purposefulness in older adults, according to a study published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.
Tip #2: Keep it Consistent
New and old friendships flourish with regular contact, which means having a consistent, regular time to connect with your friend will help strengthen the relationship. This could be a coffee date every Tuesday, or a phone call once a month. The cadence and method matter less than the regular effort to keep in touch. Make plans to meet up at scheduled events, such as our Concerts on the Green series on the second Wednesday of the month at 7pm, July through September, sponsored by the Beacon Hill Foundation.
Tip #3: Use the Connection of Nostalgia
Sharing memories of past times together or shared experiences is a powerful way to instantly connect with others. Sending or texting an old photo or memory is a great prompt to reach out to someone with whom you’ve been hoping to rekindle a friendship. Nostalgia can benefit mental health by affirming social belonging, alleviating loneliness, and enhancing our sense of meaning, according to research studies.
Tip #4: Revitalize an Old Friendship
Friends from different eras of your life offer familiarity and shared past experiences, which means it can be easier to connect with an old friend rather than take the time to build a new friendship. If you’re hoping to revitalize an old friendship, the NY Times recently published ways to strengthen old or weak ties.
Tip #5: Love Languages – For Friendship
Love languages aren’t only for romantic relationships. The five love languages or ways people express and receive love as defined by Dr. Gary Chapman in his popular framework include: words of affirmation, quality time, physical touch, acts of service and receiving gifts. Identifying your friend’s language and reciprocating in that way will help bring you closer. If you notice your friend enjoys giving gifts, or is verbose with compliments, try to respond in the same way.
True friendship brings joy to everyday life, and helps you ride life’s ups and downs. Or, as C.S. Lewis said: “Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art…. It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which give value to survival.
