Make friendship a priority.

Remember those times when you felt lost all alone.  Maybe your relationship was on the rocks. Maybe you were sick and no one was around to take care of you. Perhaps you screwed up at work or that you were about to get downsized. Maybe you thought no one could possibly understand the pain and loss you were experiencing.

Then remarkably the miraculous happens.  You contact a friend or vice versa. You accidentally run into someone you've been meaning to talk to. There is a connection. You share. You laugh. You cry. Suddenly you feel lighter, more in control and less overwhelmed. Healthy friendships are one of the most important keys for gaining balance and happiness throughout the life cycle. Friendships are enlivening, empowering, and at the core of happiness.

Healthy friendships emerge from mutual affection and form the social fabric of our lives. Good friends regard each other as special and irreplaceable. Each friendship matters and has a particular and unique place of value in our lives.

Sometimes a friendship does not support us in the ways that we need. When you notice that a friendship consistently leaves you feeling worse after spending time together, it might be time to reconsider the value of that relationship. Perhaps it makes sense to lessen contact with that person, or, in extreme cases, you may need to press the delete button. As difficult as that may seem, sometimes it offers the best alternative, and might even have a positive impact on your self esteem.

However, don't rush to get rid of a friend just because he or she did not do what you expected them to do. There are many reasons for it, try to find out the reason, express your disappointments, remember your friend is a human being just like you – to err is human. Forgive him or her and try to move on. As the saying goes 'don't cut you nose to punish your eyes.'  Friends are really a gift from God. Their presence in our lives: alleviate our anxiety, depression, pain; it helps us to deal wit trauma and loss; it strengthen resiliency; enhance and enrich our lives. Treat your friends like a romantic partner. Use please and thank you. Just because you know you can depend on them, don't neglect them. Make friendship a priority.

Good friendships offer a different kind of support than we get from our partners and family members. They offer a feeling of peer and social connection that enriches and invigorates our lives