Words to Heal the Soul Facebook Group is a place which aspires to: ’bless, inspire and encourage each other…about safety, respect, acceptance, and Recovery of others. This image relates to friendship and what a true friend will do for you through the words of a simple acrostic poem.
The Mayo clinic reports that: ‘Friends can help you celebrate good times and support you during bad times. Friends prevent isolation and loneliness and give you a chance to offer needed companionship, too’ making them good for our all-around health.
Maintaining friendships in a busy world can be challenging, especially if you have a long-term health condition or disabilities. Some recommendations to form new friendships include:
Attending community events
Volunteering
Extending and accepting invitations
Taking up a new interest
Joining a faith community
Taking a walk
Maintaining and nurturing your friendships can be achieved by:
being kind
being a good listener
opening up
showing that you can be trusted
making yourself available and
using mindfulness to overcome nerves
If you have a long-term health condition or disability it is worth checking if there are any local support groups that you can join. Here you can meet people with similar problems to yourself. Many groups still have meetings over platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams — a positive to come out of the COVID pandemic. Others are back to meeting in person and some like to alternate.
Always remember it’s never too late to make new friends or even re-connect with people with whom you have been friends in the past. It could make so much difference — reach out to someone in need — recognise that others may be feeling alone and unable to make that first step. Encourage — support and you will both gain from the experience.
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