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BITESIZE | Why We Need Friends to Thrive | Dhru Purohit #198

Jul 8, 2021 17m 58s 10 insights
Life can be busy, and it’s easy to forget to make time to catch up with friends– but spending time with your friends is more important than you think. Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests. Today’s clip is from episode 80 of the podcast with my good friend and fellow podcast host Dhru Purohit. In this clip, he explains why our friendships are so important, and why we need deep connections to others to truly thrive. Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/80 Thanks to our sponsor http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee Follow me on facebook.com/DrChatterjee Follow me on twitter.com/drchatterjeeuk
Actionable Insights

1. Prioritize Deep Friendships for Thriving

Recognize that deep, meaningful friendships are crucial for thriving in life, not just surviving, and impact health, happiness, and the pursuit of big goals. Make cultivating these connections a priority, similar to how you prioritize sleep or diet, to avoid future regrets.

2. Assess Your Friendship Connections

Check in with yourself to determine if you have a ‘friendship and disconnection problem,’ especially during challenging times when you might need support. Recognizing this gap is the first step towards building a stronger community.

3. Schedule Regular Connection Time

Intentionally schedule regular occurrences in your calendar to check in on and strengthen your deep, meaningful bonds. This could be as simple as a coffee date, a scheduled phone call with a distant friend, or a five-minute pop-in with a colleague.

4. Focus on Quality Friendships

Understand that building strong friendships is not about having the most friends, but about cultivating a few deep, meaningful bonds. Prioritize intentionality in your interactions to feel understood and connected.

5. Practice Asking and Offering Help

Create deeper connections by letting people in and both asking for and offering help. This reciprocal exchange builds a strong bond and lets others know they can come to you, and you can go to them.

6. Express Gratitude to Friends

Strengthen your friendships by leaning into gratitude, telling people you care about them, and explaining why they matter to you. These expressions foster deeper bonds and positive relationships.

7. Seek Growth-Oriented Communities

If you’re looking to make new friends, ‘go to where people grow,’ such as yoga classes, local university courses, or groups aligned with your interests. This increases the likelihood of finding individuals with similar values and a growth mindset.

8. Online to Offline Connections

Use online platforms to find people with similar interests, such as local practitioners in health and wellness or those into the same sports, and then intentionally use these online connections to schedule offline hangouts.

9. Support Gut Health Daily

Consider incorporating a daily health drink that supports digestion and contains beneficial gut bacteria, as nutrition impacts mental and physical well-being, especially during winter.

10. Share Valuable Podcast Content

If you find a podcast useful and valuable, consider sharing an episode with five different people to help spread messages of positivity, compassion, and health.