Cultivate Nice Friendships

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Nice friendships are the ones that support and accept your authentic, real self. Good friends are the ones you really feel comfortable being yourself around. Your experiences with nice friends can really cheer you up, support you, and encourage you to live your best life, if you choose the right people.

Here are some ways we can enrich our lives by cultivating nice friendships:

Increase time with women who really lift you up.
If you have a friendship that is really based on a mutual fondness and respect of each other, you will most likely feel more positive and energized after spending time with that person. You may even feel high-spirited because you shared some great ideas with each other. When you find friends who lift you higher, it is wise to keep them in your life. Don’t forget to give back as well.

Spend less time with those who bring you down.
If you feel more anxious, more depressed, or more drained after sharing time with someone, this is most likely not a meaningful friendship for you. Remember that your time and energy are valuable. By minimizing your time with people who bring you lower, you free yourself for more enriching people and experiences.

Participate in groups that are attractive to you.
It is not necessary to waste time in groups that you don’t enjoy or feel comfortable in. Some groups may lack people who genuinely interest you. It is much better to spend your energy searching for, or even creating, social or interest groups that you find meaningful.

Trust your instincts.
This can be challenging for us--it can be amazing how much time we will put into analyzing why a particular group or friendship doesn’t seem good for us. It is important to save up your energy. Trust your gut with people and your life will become more satisfying. Life is too short! As a mom and a full-of-life individual, you have a limited amount of social time for yourself, so spend it wisely!

Source: Simpson, B. (2006). The Balanced Mom

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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.