Some of your best memories include old friends. The memories might come to mind unexpectedly, leaving you wondering how that old friend is doing now. Keeping friendships in your life allows you to stay in touch and create new memories.
Life isn’t as exciting or fulfilling without friends, with the friends who knew you the longest being around for all of it. They teach you about how people work outside of your immediate family. Many of them are there for you when life gets overwhelming, guiding and supporting you through every hardship.
As you age, you may lose touch with some of your friends. You’ll create new social relationships, and others will fizzle without a cause or reason. However, you should foster those friendships and stay in touch as often as possible.
You might not be able to see old friends often, but you can find ways to reconnect. Even if you’re each on entirely different life paths, you can stay in touch and influence one another.
Seventeen Reasons to Keep Old Friends in Your Life
1 – Old Freinds can give another perspective
If your old friends aren’t in your usual social group, they can offer another perspective. It’s good to have friends that offer their opinion because they can give you an unbiased thought or solution. When you’re in the middle of a problem, it can be hard for you to see a logical answer.
2 – Friendship is one more good reason to go on vacation
If the person lives far from you, keeping in touch can give you a reason to go on vacation. While this reason is superficial, it offers a nice escape to spend time together.
You’ll make memories with your friend during your trip, allowing your friendship to last forever. These trips will be experiences you’ll never regret.
3 – Friendship improves your mental health and makes your friend happy
Connecting with old friends can improve your mental health. It also boosts your friend’s mental health, making it helpful for both of you. Your old friend will appreciate it every time you reach out to them.
4 – You don’t have to impress old friends
Lifelong friends know you as no one else does. You’ll never have to impress them or feel like you must put on a show. These are friends you can go to when you’re at your worst because you know they’ll accept you as you are.
You’ll be that person for them, too, because they know they can let their guard down. It’s a powerful connection, and you can both appreciate the benefits. These relationships can be hard to come by, so don’t let go if you find one.
5 – Nostalgia
When you spend time with old friends, you’ll experience nostalgia as it brings a feeling of youthfulness. Memories will come rushing back, making you feel comfortable and safe. You can spend time remembering how things were before, basking in the joy of your memories.
6 – Friendship eases loneliness
Connection eases loneliness and symptoms of mental health conditions. People supporting you can make you feel good and find meaning in your life.
You can continue staying in contact if your old friend lives far away. Studies show that electronic interaction is beneficial and can decrease the risk of depression and loneliness.
7 – Old friends understand your past
When you’ve known someone for a while, they understand your past. They’ll know how your family functions and what causes stress. These friends make good people for you to vent to when you experience family problems because they’ll understand you and offer helpful advice.
Your old friends will also know what makes you tick and how you like to approach conflict. They know the little details others might not recognize, showing how much they understand who you are.
8 – Remind you of imagination and innocence
Childhood friends can help you remember the feeling of imagination and innocence. You knew them when life seemed simple, and it was about playing together. If you still have a friend from early childhood, it’s a blessing you shouldn’t let dismiss.
9 – Provides comfort
A friend who knew you in older periods of life can give you comfort that you can’t find elsewhere. It’s an opportunity to talk about intimate details and heartache after a tragedy. You might not feel comfortable voicing these details in other social relationships but can feel safe with an old friend.
10 – Honesty
Your old friends will likely be honest with you because they’ve known you for so long. They’ll speak up when necessary and won’t tell you what you want to hear unless it’s the truth. While you must make your own decisions, you can trust their opinion on essential topics.
11 – Old friends influenced your social network
Your high school friends helped shape your social behavior and ability to connect. They taught you that it’s essential to have support from someone other than your family. Your friendship with these people impacts how you interact as an adult, and they can continue to help you grow.
12 – Seeing how your paths connect as adults
The people you were close to in the past might lead a completely different life now. However, you might have some similarities you hadn’t considered before. Spending time with them helps you see how you’re alike later in life.
You grew together for a while, and while you branch out, you still hold a connection nothing can take away. Everyone goes on to live separate lives, and it’s always fun to catch up and reconnect with the people that knew you so well.
13 – Old friends encourage growth
Staying in touch with someone you knew from the past can encourage you to keep growing. You’ll remember how much you’ve grown since then, and it’ll push you to keep going. Or you might realize that you haven’t grown as much as you’d hoped, and you’ll get motivated.
14 – Helps you remember your journey
Your old friends can help you remember where you came from and all the obstacles you overcame. They can also help you remember all your fun and memories. You’ll see how you have evolved while you embrace the past and remember your journey.
15 – Old friends know how to make you happy
Your oldest friends know what it takes to cheer you up and make you happy. They can sense if something’s wrong and start working on brightening your spirits before you even say anything. Old friends remember the things that cheer you up and won’t hesitate to make it happen.
16 – You can see how much you’ve changed
Your relationship helps you see how much you’ve changed if you have friends you only see occasionally. These friends know you at all points in your life, reminding you of your progress. They can also help you experience gratitude for where you are now.
Seeing how much you changed can help you remember where you began. It can also push you to keep growing because you see how far you’ve already come.
17 – Intellectual conversation
Experts indicate that college friends offer academic and social support involving intellectual conversation. You likely shared enlightening moments with these friends, including voicing concerns about the future and questioning everything.
College friends also saw you in intimate moments when you let loose and have fun. They may have helped you through rough nights and been there for you during your first experience away from home. These friends will support you and challenge your thoughts or ideas as you grow through life.
How to Reach Out to an Old Friend When You Haven’t Spoken for a While
Many people lose touch with old friends and feel awkward about reconnecting. However, there’s nothing to worry about because they’ll likely be happy to hear from you. Either way, it’s worth the attempt.
You can give the old friend a call, send a text message, or reach out another way. Tell them you’ve been thinking of them and ask how they’re doing. Depending on the conversation, ask if they’d like to get coffee and catch up.
When You Shouldn’t Reconnect with Old Friends
While keeping old friends in your life can be beneficial and enjoyable, there are some instances when you should avoid them. Only reach out if you can recall positive interactions with the person. Reaching out to harmful or toxic people can be detrimental to your well-being.
Consider a few things before you reconnect with an old friend, including:
- if it could be harmful to either of you
- what you want from the reconnection
- if you’re thinking of your best interests
- whether you’re willing to share details of your life
- if you feel comfortable with them
Avoid reaching out to someone if your relationship with them is unhealthy or abusive. Taking the time to understand why you want to reach out can help determine if you’re doing it for the right reasons.
Final Thoughts on Reasons to Keep Old Friends in Your Life
Old friends are treasures that you should keep in your life. They know you in ways no one else does, and they can bring positivity to your life.
If you’ve lost touch with any old friends, reach out to them to reconnect. You’ll be glad you did, but make sure you’re not rekindling unhealthy friendships.
These reasons to keep old friends in your life can give you the motivation to reconnect. Don’t be afraid to invite them somewhere to catch up. Remember that they might be as happy as you are.
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