National New Friends Day rolls around annually on October 19. This holiday is all about making room for new connections in your life, and celebrating the potential for friendship everywhere you go. Research has found time and time again that strong social support is a key to living your happiest, most fulfilled life. So get out there and add some new friends to your docket!

You need your friends, both old and new. National Make a Friend Day arrives annually on February 11. It’s a day for taking stock of all your friendships and looking for ways to add to your personal universe. A new friendship can open you up to new experiences. Friends provide us with the comfort of a safe emotional space where we can be ourselves. Good friends are our biggest treasure.

Friendship matters. On National Friendship Day every August 4, you have a chance to reflect on the friendships that improve your quality of life. One of the great things about friends, is that you can discuss important things with them that you might never share with your family. That’s because good friends are the family that you choose. Celebrate them on National Friendship Day.

NATIONAL NEW FRIENDS DAY ACTIVITIES

  1. Get to know an acquaintance better

    If there’s someone you’ve always wanted to get to know better, now is the time to go for it. Maybe it’s someone you always run into at the local cafe, or a coworker you always wanted to get to know better. Celebrate New Friends Day by sharing a little conversation (and maybe a sandwich) with your coworker.

  2. Make sure your current friendships are healthy and happy

    Today is a great day to take stock of the current friendships in your life. Make sure that all of your friendships are mutually beneficial. Are you being a good friend to the people closest to you? Are they doing the same for you? If you’ve got any toxic friends in your life, now is the time to consider trying to resolve those issues or peacefully ending the friendship. It’s not easy, but it makes room for new friendships that are more fulfilling.

  3. Attend your local neighbourhood meeting

    One of the best ways to make new friends is to get involved in local activities. Join a community volunteer group or a meet-up focused on a hobby you’re passionate about. Showing up to your first meeting might be intimidating, but it’s the first step to making new friends with people who share some of your passions. At a block party, new friends may hang out on your front porch, for a change!

WHY WE LOVE NATIONAL NEW FRIENDS DAY

  1. Friendship makes us happier

    Friendship makes us feel included. When we’re surrounded by close friends, we feel like we’re being “seen” and that we matter. So many of the reasons people struggle in life are due to loneliness. Forging new friendships helps us combat some of the most common culprits of unhappiness. Of course, friendship is reciprocal — your new bond can enrich your new friend’s life just as much as your own.

  2. Our friends are a reflection of who we are

    According to famed motivational speaker Jim Rohn, we are the average of the five people with whom we spend the most time. If your friends are kind, hardworking and motivated people, you’re more likely to have those traits as well. Like attracts like.

  3. New friends expand our horizons

    We have to remind ourselves that it’s okay to be different. Sometimes, the only way we’ll learn about all the exciting hobbies, thoughts, or beliefs in this world is through watching a friend explore them. Making friends with people from different walks of life is a great way to better understand the world around you and to grow as a person.

Let’s cook some delicious FISH, because we are HUGE seafood lovers #FoodingAroundWithJennyMorris
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