How Many Close Friends Do You Have?

From the pandemic to working from home, it seems many of us are getting more used to being on our own. However, new research shows the amount of people that should be in our inner circle.  How many Close friends do you have?

Most of my life I had a unit or small group, if you will, of five guys.  It was good to have them in my life.  I went to each one of them for different reasons.  Maybe one was fun to b.s. with, or another was just comical, and another was my concert buddy.  Oh, and the whole group liked Metallica, so we had that going for us too! I’m sure each one of them got something unique from me as well.

As I’ve gotten older, things have changed.  I have a wife and kids and it’s not as easy to hang out with buddies all the time or even make new friends.  Plus, I had a falling out with two members of my group, while another moved away.  Leaving me feeling pretty alone.  It’s not a great feeling, but maybe you can relate.  I recently found out that having less close friends isn’t the healthiest.

In fact, according to a recent study, the magic number is five!  You should have five close friends in your group for better wellness. Those in the study with three close friends weren’t as happy.

Having five close friends gives you more peace of mind. It’s the feeling that there is always someone there you can call and count on.  And I think that would ring true for those of you reading this as well.  I know it does for me.

When you have people in your corner you can count on, you’re less anxious and feel more relaxed, because even when you have a bad day, you can go to one of your pals and look to vent or seek out advice.  And that just feels good. 

So, if you want to feel better and be happier, make some friends.  I know it’s hard but give it a shot – your well-being is counting on it!