Today it is the international day of friendship. This day is an initiative of the UNESCO, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It is based on the recognition and appreciation of the belongings of a friendship. To bear in mind friendship causes respect and are building bridges between communities and other people.

The meaning of international day of friendship

The international day of friendship is not only for people, but also the relationship between countries. The value between you and other people can give you a feeling of satisfaction. The Central Bureau of Statistic (2013) has researched the experience of happiness when people have social interaction every day, or at least sometimes in a week. In conclusion, the level of happiness is higher when someone has daily social contact with family or friends then when the social contact is not daily. Also research has shown that if the contact with someone is close, then the level of happiness will be higher.

Why having friendships?

As people, we are driven to make contact with other people. Research of Kovacs has shown that social contact support your brain activity. In particular the highest brain functions have belongings with social contacts. These brain functions is also called as executive functions, these are most likely for planning, initiative and being able to self reflection. For example, trying to plan an event with someone. If you would like to do this you do not only need to plan it, but you also need to know where it takes place and what you are going to do. With all these skills you are using the executive functions. To maintain the social contacts you are stimulating these areas of the brains. Like you have read before, when you are maintaining your social contacts, you are using a lot of areas in your brain. Maintaining your contacts is not that easy as is thought. By practising more, you can train your brain areas.

Tips for making friends

Making friends is not easy for everybody. The next tips can give you more confidence in making friends. Try to have enough time and attention for making friends. Also remember that it is not possible to become friends with everyone in a short time. Start with expressing interest in the other, how was the day or week of them? Be active with maintaining your social contacts because it will be easier then when you are passive and waiting for someone else to take initiative. Keep in mind that not all the initiative has to come from you, but also from others.

NiceDay: plan an event in NiceDay to do an activity with your friends. If you have done that you can note in NiceDay your feelings before the activity and after.