Today's Small Change: Reconnect with a friend.

[Guest guest]

Friday February 29, 2008Welcome to today's edition of Healthy Living

with Ellie Krieger.

Today's Small Change: Reconnect with a friend.

Stay Connected Research shows that friendships not only enhance your life but

also protect and improve your health. And studies show that the happiest people

are those who have both good mental health and good social relationships.

Today I want you to think about the relationships you have with people outside

your family — your friends, co-workers, neighbors, and others you have daily

contact with. Whom do you consider your friends? Would you like closer

relationships with them, or to spend more time with them? Friendships take

time and tending the same way that your relationships with your family do, and

it's natural to put our jobs and families ahead of our friends. But making time

for people whom you connect with and can laugh with enriches your life. Keeping

in touch — whether by phone, e-mail, letters, or get-togethers — is an essential

part of staying close. Today's small change is to reconnect with a friend,

perhaps someone you haven't seen or spoken to in

longer than you had intended. Chances are good that your friend misses you,

too, and will be delighted that you took the initiative to catch up. Sometimes

friends grow apart; as new friendships are made through circumstance or shared

interests, others are lost. It may be that you and an old friend don't feel as

though you have much in common anymore, or have too much going on in your lives

to stay meaningfully connected. But if it is a relationship that's really

important to you, you may want to talk to your friend about your relationship

before you drift apart for good. Tell your friend how you feel and ask if

there's a way to reconnect. There may also be something going on in your

friend's life that has affected her — something you don't know about. You won't

know unless you ask.

When you have nothing left but God,

you become aware that God is enough.

-Guideposts