The irony of today’s technology is that it connects us with more people, more often than ever before, and yet feelings of loneliness and isolation are higher than ever! Turns out that good old fashioned face-to-face friendships are essential to our overall well-being. Friendships tend to improve mood, reduce stress and depression, increase support, and boost self-esteem.

Good friends are hard to find. Good friends make you feel better just by being with them. They accept you for your true self. True friends are supportive, respectful, and trustworthy. One of the best ways to have a friend is to be a good friend by focusing more on your friend than yourself and listening with curiosity and compassion.

If you’re in search of a good friend, here are some ways you might find one: volunteering, joining a club, walking your dog and greeting other dog walkers, re-exploring your community as if you were a new-comer, and reconnecting with old friends. Then… bravely open up about yourself or invite an acquaintance to lunch. If you feel better afterwards, follow up with additional invitations. If you feel worse, move on, but don’t give up.