BEAT LONELINESS & MAKE NEW FRIENDS

One in eight adults says they have no close friends. Emma has felt the same and reveals how you can grow your social circle

ast year, I lost my L best friend. Until then, I hadn’t given much thought to my friendships – she provided everything I needed and the small amount of free time we had, we spent together. Her death made me realise that I don’t have close friends, and one in eight adults feels the same. When you have a job, kids, bills to pay and extended family to keep up with, squeezing in a social life can be a struggle, but this year I made a commitment to reach out to friends I’d lost touch with. Sending the “Hi, do you remember me?” message was scary, but every one was met with kindness. I am tentatively building on these friendships. Whenever I chat easily to someone, I take the plunge and ask for their number. Slowly, I am forming new friendships. Friendships are our lifeblood, and nurturing them is crucial. Even if you can only manage an hour a week to catch up, schedule it and stick to it. Swap texting or social media catchups for phone calls, because that is real communication. The biggest lesson I have learned is that people do have space in their lives for good and loyal friends, and many people are in exactly the same boat. Take a deep breath and message old friends, sign up for that salsa class, or join a local mums’ group. Whatever you do, do something, because, as I am learning, while it is impossible to ever replace my best friend, it doesn’t mean that I can’t have new journeys with women who raise me up and soothe the wound her loss has caused.