International Friendship Day is celebrated on July 30, however, in India, Friendship Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of August. This year, Friendship Day will be celebrated on August 4 and the day aims to celebrate the bond of friendship. We make friends at different phases of our lives, starting from school to college to work and sometimes at social gatherings as well. Therefore, it is important that you choose your friends well as they play a major part in your life.

Your friends have the ability to impact your health, relationships and several other aspects of your life. An 80-year-long Harvard study which is also the longest study on happiness found that neither money nor fame can keep you happy throughout your life. However, your close relationships are what can keep you happy and healthy. Director of the study and professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, Robert Waldinger says that “our relationships and how happy we are in our relationships has a powerful influence on our health”.

He added, “Taking care of your body is important, but tending to your relationships is a form of self-care too. That, I think, is the revelation.”

The study also highlighted the importance of relationships in our lives and these relationships could be friendships or marital or any other relations. These relationships help you to overcome the bad times and life’s discontents.

Make sure you’re actively listening to your friends, showing empathy and understanding them. This helps to build trust and make your friends feel valued. This is important for a healthy friendship and beneficial for your mental well-being.

Try to regularly express gratitude and appreciation for your friends. When you acknowledge their impact on your life, it strengthens your bond and helps to improve your mental health.

Have open and honest communication. Address your misunderstandings and conflicts calmly and respectfully. Clear communication helps avoid unnecessary stress and strengthens the friendship which is important for mental health.

Make sure to establish and respect personal boundaries. Healthy friendships need mutual respect for each other. Setting boundaries helps to make sure that the relationship remains balanced and there’s no emotional exhaustion.

When you’re there for your friends, keep promises and maintain confidentiality, it helps to build trust. Trust is the foundation of any healthy relationship and helps in bringing emotional stability.

Take part in activities wherein both you and your friends can participate and enjoy. Shared experiences help you make lasting memories, foster deeper connections and improve your overall well-being.

Be supportive during difficult times. Make sure you’re listening, providing help or emotionally supporting when your friends are in need. When you provide and receive support during tough times, it helps to strengthen the friendship and helps build emotional resilience.

Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Mental Health, Health and around the world.