Discover how spending quality time with friends enhances your overall well-being and why you should make regular friend dates to nurture your relationships. What is a friend date, you ask? Friend dates are when two platonic friends spend structured, intentional time together, enjoying one another's company. Read on for the benefits of friendships, types of friends, friend date night ideas, and why you should stop treating friendship as an afterthought to be your best you.

Benefits of Positive Friendships
Why are healthy friendships important? Friendship is invaluable on so many levels! The intimacy two people share has extraordinarily powerful benefits, and in the face of the loneliness epidemic, prioritizing friendships is more important than ever! Friends are a source of belonging, emotional support, happiness, calm, confidence, truth, and wellness!!! What do friendships provide?

1. Belonging - Friendships give us a sense of connectedness, value, and purpose. Chums can reduce loneliness and provide security amidst life’s ups and downs. Relationships and jobs may come and go, but friendships that last through these transitions create a sense of meaning and stability.
2. Emotional support - They can help support you after a breakup and through periods of grief. Having someone who listens and lets you unburden yourself is someone you want in your friend circle. Try to reciprocate when able to keep the balance right!
3. Happiness boost - Friends make our lives richer, more vibrant, and joyous.
4. Anxiety & Stress-reduction - Acting silly or sharing a deep belly laugh over a meal, along with having a trusting ear to vent your anger and worry, is a wonderful outlet for pent-up stress and anxiety. The reduced blood pressure from this alone improves wellness.
5. Confidence building - Friendship and self confidence go together when friends help you recognize your virtues, strength, and potential, encouraging you to believe in yourself.
6. Sounding board - Friends can help you unravel confusion, clear up doubts, and sort out tough life decisions to arrive at choices that are right for you.
7. Health & longevity - Strong relationships promote mental wellness, physical health, and longevity due to the sense of belonging that comes with friendships. In contrast, those without solid friendships experience health risks akin to smoking ¾ of a pack of cigarettes daily (about 15 cigarettes)!
8. Lifestyle habit enhancer - Friends can be allies or mentors, teaching or leading by example, instilling healthy behaviors, and helping you ditch unhealthy habits. For example, when hanging out with friends who make exercise and a healthy lifestyle nonnegotiable, you are less inclined to hit the drive-thru, light up a cigarette, and sit around all day.

How To Nurture Your Friendships
The friendship bond is unique and requires special care. Here is how to be the friend you want to be and attract and keep the friends you want to have:

1. Do not hold on tightly - Give your friend space and endeavor not to be too controlling.
2. Listen and share - Do both equally to create a symbiotic, mutually beneficial relationship.
3. Be there - Make an effort to be there for your friend in times of need.
4. Nix public criticism - If you need to tell a friend something sensitive, do so privately.
5. Practice kindness and keep confidences - Be accepting, gentle, and transparent.
6. Let them be them - Having friends with similar likes and beliefs is nice, but you do not have to be “twins” with your friends.
7. Appreciate them - Show or tell them you appreciate them in a language they “understand.” Help them with a project, send them a gift or handwritten note to illustrate that you value their friendship.
8. Be open to new friendships - Friends can come in unlikely packages. Do not let age and other differences separate you from people who may enrich your life.
9. Keep in touch - Even if distance lies between you and your childhood friend or ex-coworker online chat portals make staying connected doable, and of course, there is the good old phone. Your relationship does not have to end, so long as you prioritize it. Plan visits when possible - you can always meet in the middle somewhere exotic for a bi-annual vacation together.

Friendship And Mental Health
There is absolutely no shame in having a mental health problem, and talking to friends about it is an integral part of managing wellness. Studies show that healthy, stable friendships are vital for our well-being and longevity. Having close confidants increases people’s satisfaction with their lives and reduces the risk of developing depression. So, while picking up the phone and chatting with a friend may seem unimportant, your mental wellness depends on it! According to the Mental Health Foundation, friends can help keep us grounded, put things into perspective, and help us handle life’s challenges. Although keeping problems to yourself may seem easier or help “save face,” socializing avoids isolation. Giving friends a chance to help us through mental health issues and provide reassurance and validation during difficult times can strengthen your relationships. Going on a friend date and taking time to listen and talk with friends can make a big difference. Better than texting or replying to a post, visiting with someone in person can positively impact our moods.

Friendship and Social Media
Although social media gets criticized for cyberbullying and oversharing, it has an upside, too! It can be an excellent tool for establishing new friendships, staying in contact with existing friends, rekindling old friendships, and celebrating milestones with people who do not live nearby. According to research, we only have enough brain power, time, and energy to meaningfully connect with 150 people at a time (including online and offline) - so choose who you connect with and how often wisely. Being particular about who you accept as a friend, what groups you follow, and making healthy choices can fill your feed with inspirational posts and content that foster peace of mind. Remember, your worth is not based on your number of friends or followers and keeping quality friends can uplift you and make gray days a little brighter! Despite some people believing online friends are not real, think again! Sure, offline relationships are more fulfilling, but with our busy lives, online relationships do fill the gap. However, if your only means of human interaction is via screens, you might want to rethink social media's role in your life.

Be stingy with your time and mental energy. You do not have to like or comment on every post! Experts recommend nurturing those in your inner friendship circle friendship (roughly five people) with a minimum of one weekly interaction. Shoot for connecting with those in the next layer, about 15 of your closest friends, once a month. For the remaining 130 friends, once-yearly contact is recommended. You might think, “But I have xxxx friends; how can I keep up?” You cannot, not entirely - proving the “less is more” adage once again! Be aware of the difference between friends and well-wishers. You have a deeper emotional bond with friends, while well-wishers are people who wish you the best from afar. When the well-wishing becomes mutual, this is the seed of a potentially budding friendship.

Find Your Friendship Circle
Before reconnecting or building new friendships, ask yourself, “What is friendship for you?” What type of relationships do you want to nurture, and what kind of friend do you want to be? Perhaps you want unconditional love that is given freely and does not require “earning” the affection of another. Or maybe you want to surround yourself with like-minded people who inspire you. Think about what you enjoy doing and value, find people who share those things with you, and recognize that one friend does not need to be your everything. There are different types of friendships, each being a wonderful part of our social fabric.

1. Party Partner- You can let loose for a night on the town with this friend. Although this fun friend (with a capital “F”) knows how to have a good time, they may not be the person you have “deep talks” with.
2. Trusted Confidant - The friend with whom you know you can share your inner truth without having to mask your feelings or edit yourself. You can call or text this special nonjudgemental friend any time - day or night - knowing that what you say will not leave the room.

There is freedom in this relationship as you can be 100% yourself and do not have to pretend everything is “fine” They can be that listening ear that empathizes with you or the friend that does not pull any punches, telling you the truth, the real truth, if you ask for it.

1. Spiritual Sister - This friend is open and willing to explore various spiritual avenues to grow alongside you. You two can hit yoga retreats, meditation workshops, or other means of expanding your mind.
2. Crafty Companion - The local gem show, knitting corner, or art fair are on the menu whenever you and this friend get together. You love learning about the latest jewelry-making technique, showing off the newest scarf you crocheted, or even the latest recipe.
3. Shopping Sidekick - This friend and you can shop till you drop. You love their taste, and they get your fashion sense and spending style, too! Whether you two love finding a bargain at the local thrift shop or hitting the mall, you are like one another’s personal shoppers. (Shopping together online counts too!)
4. Fit Friend - You and this friend love to hit the trails, the gym, the court, or the climbing wall, and anything that gets your blood pumping and builds your muscles. You cannot stay mad long when they might suggest you not lock your knees when doing deadlifts - you know they just want the best for you!
5. Problem Solver - Not every friend can fill this role. Some may offer unsolicited suggestions, but only a few can provide solutions you will heed. Keep that friend close!
6. Beauty Bestie - You know that friend who is always up for sharing the latest beauty tips, finding the perfect moisturizer or clean skincare routine, and spending a spa night at home - giving new meaning to a beautiful friendship! You two can pair a multi-masking Spa Box with the complete Hyaluronic Acid HydraBoost Spa Box featuring generous selections of clean skincare face masks, moisturizing eye cream products, and more for DIY facial experiences - everything you want and need to nurture your skin and friendship. Put this weekly friend date on repeat in your calendar and watch your friendship grow and skin glow!

Make Friends with Your Skin
Befriend your skin, learning to like and accept it how it really is without Instagram filters, not how you want it to be or how you want others to see it. Dare your followers to like you by posting an unfiltered image. If you lose a few, they were not your real friends anyway! Now that you are on a self-loving roll - keep up the good work of making friends with all parts of yourself - You know what they say - you have to love yourself before you can love others. Take this to the next level and outwit the loneliness epidemic by investing in your self-care at the local spa - the ideal wellness retreat. With high-touch therapies like facials, massages, and body wraps, interacting with skincare experts and body care professionals can help achieve the connection and restored balance we all need! So, go ahead and make a regular “friend date” - your wellness depends on it! And, if you and your bestie want to experience your healthiest skin ever, visitFind A Spa for an oasis near you offering Pevonia. Get an in-depth consultation for your ideal products and professional treatments, then get a couples’ room to keep the kinship flowing while enjoying one of our relaxing, customizable in-spa treatments.