"Help me deepen my friendships!"

Strong ties with the families we choose slash stress, boost resilience and improve our health. Here, heartfelt ways to foster these connections

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Nurture bonds Friendship is love

“Romantic love has monopolized our conception of what love means—and that diminishes our imagination,” declares psychologist Marisa G. Franco, Ph.D. The next time a friend asks you for a favor, Franco suggests reflecting on whether you would do it for a significant other. When a pal asked Franco to pick her up at the airport at midnight, she asked herself this very question and made the extra effort. “Going out of your way for a friend is a clear way to deepen that relationship.”

Share your affection 

We tend to underestimate just how much our friends want to hear that we appreciate them. “Try to be really intentional about it,” urges Franco, recalling how she brought her best friend to tears (in the best way!) with these simple words: “I don’t know who I’d be without you.”