The Golden Girls were onto something when they said (well, sang), "Thank you for being a friend." Romantic relationships and family ties garner much of the attention, but friendship is the unsung hero of a fulfilling life. In fact, as you age, friendships become a stronger predictor of your health and happiness than family relationships, according to research by Michigan State University associate professor and social/ personality psychologist William Chopik, PhD. Friendships influence your well-being so much, another of Chopik's studies found, that when friends are a source of strain, people report more chronic illnesses. But when a squad is supportive? Folks tend to be happier. One (remarkably simple) reason: "Friendships are relationships of choice," says Chopik. "You have a friend because you want to spend time with them...whereas with family, you may have less flexibility." Not only do you decide who you spend your precious free time with, but you also choose how you spend it, which is usually on a leisure activity. Unlike divvying up household chores or suffering through small talk at a family obligation, catching up with your college buds over a laugh-filled meal "reduces stress," says Chopik.
This story is from the March 2023 edition of Women's Health US.
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This story is from the March 2023 edition of Women's Health US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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