An article written by Ashley Macha, which appeared in The Arizona Republic, said if you surround yourself with healthy, strong friendships, you’ll live longer, have less stress and potentially fewer health issues. The article went on to say that people with more relationships are more resilient and better able to bounce back from what life throws at them. On top of that, research studies have shown that good social relationships (friendships) and happiness go hand in hand. So, the more relationships you have, the better your life will become. Richard Seaman who teaches at the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts had this to say about building new relationships: “Plain and simple: if you strike up a conversation comfortably and not be attached to the outcome, you’ll find you have friends wherever you go.” In other words, stay away from trying to prove a point or prove you’re right about something if you expect to build new relationships. Instead, just enjoy being with them and listening to what they have to say. That’s what a real friend does.