The Lifelong Value of Investing Time in Friends and Family

It’s very easy to start isolating yourself as you get older. Working all day, maybe having to deal with kids, and other life challenges sometimes make it seem like it’s just not worth it to work on spending and investing time with friends and family. However, nothing could be further from the truth. The fact is, the more time you invest in your friends and family, the healthier you’ll be, and the more you’ll get out of your life.

• You’ll Experience Less Stress – When you have a safe place to vent and talk, you’ll never feel as anxious and stressed out as you would if you didn’t have that freedom. The problem is, if you don’t nurture family and friendships now, you may not have them when you do need to vent and talk.
• Boosts Life Expectancy – Studies show that individuals who have close community connections with family or non-family members live more than a couple years longer. This proves that we need each other.
• Supports More Positive Life Choices – When you have chosen your friends right and you have a good family, they are going to be supportive of more positive life choices. For example, if your friends and family don’t smoke and like to eat right and exercise, you’re more likely to as well.
• Improved Mental Health – Being with other people makes us feel healthier because we are healthier. Mental health is vastly improved when you don’t feel as if you’re all alone in this world.
• Better Self-Image – If you’re a good friend and family member, it boosts your self-esteem exponentially. Just knowing that you are loved and that there are people out there that you love makes a huge difference.
• Creates Amazing Relationships – You cannot build good relationships without spending time on them. Time is essential for crafting those relationships that you want. All relationships grow over time, even those with relatives, so spending the time means getting to know them and letting them get to know you.
• Gives You Purpose – No one is really happy when they’re just all on their own with no real purpose in life. Having a friend and family who are close makes you feel important and as if you do have a purpose in life.
• Helps You Cope When Things Aren’t Good – If you need emotional support (and even financial support) and you’ve worked hard to build close, loving, and trusting relationships, you’ll find that you’re not alone in the world and they’ll help you cope.

Toxic people aside, your family and friends love you, and you need them in your life just as much as they need you in their life. Make it a point to schedule in regular activities with your family and friends so that you don’t accidentally let life get in the way.