18/06/2021
I've written about community a ton at Dudefluencer, so it's no wonder that the first blurb I bring you is all about friendship. Doesn't matter how you identify; the people you surround yourself with are essential to a healthier and happier life.
Take this 2016 study out of Harvard, for example, where they "tracked the physical and emotional well-being of 268 male graduates from Harvard, as well as 456 poor men growing up in Boston from 1939 to 2014." What they found after scanning brains, reviewing blood samples, and self-reported surveys was that "good relationships keep us happier and healthier." That means deepening bonds with friends does really affect your livelihood.
What's important to note isn't that you need many friends, but instead high-quality relationships. For a long time, I measured my value on the number of people I was friends with. Yet, when it came time to reach out for help, I realized that many of my relationships were relatively shallow. I hadn't spent the time to deepen them enough.
While I definitely struggled with friendships before COVID, I'll admit that after a year and a half (maybe more) of quarantine, I've absolutely 100% missed seeing my friends. I also know that once I can travel again, I will make it a more significant point to re-invest time in some of my older friendships. Maybe even try and figure out my list of 150.
If you don't know what Dunbar's 150 is, stick around next week because I'll go over all the data around it and a quick exercise to help you figure out your inner circle.
That being said, I challenge you to reach out to someone this week. It could be a close friend or someone you want to build a stronger bond with and deepen that relationship. Don't be discouraged if they don't respond how you'd hope. It happens sometimes. If it does work out for you, congratulations; you're on the path to a happier and healthier life.
