From: The New York Times
5 Ways to Make Friends (Without Joining a Book Club)
To meet your neighbors, try doing them small kindnesses, said Julianne Holt-Lunstad, a professor of psychology and neuroscience and the director of the Social Connection and Health Lab at Brigham Young University.
Compliment their gardening skills, or offer to bring in their trash bins. Why? Dr. Holt-Lunstad’s research has found that these acts can encourage conversations and reduce feelings of loneliness.
Pushing yourself to be more social, said Dr. Holt-Lunstad, is like exercise: Even if you know it’s good for you, it can be uncomfortable.
…
Dr. Holt-Lunstad also recommended reflecting on the people who have helped you in your life: a coach, a teacher, a neighbor. If they are still around, contact them and tell them how they helped you. Maybe it will lead to a deeper bond, Dr. Holt-Lunstad said.
Read the whole story (subscription may be required): The New York Times
More of our Members in the Media >
APS regularly opens certain online articles for discussion on our website. Effective February 2021, you must be a logged-in APS member to post comments. By posting a comment, you agree to our Community Guidelines and the display of your profile information, including your name and affiliation. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations present in article comments are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of APS or the article’s author. For more information, please see our Community Guidelines.
Please login with your APS account to comment.