Do you feel lonelier than you ever have? A UCSF study found that 40% of seniors regularly experienced loneliness, and that was before we all had to isolate ourselves for a couple of years.
Unsurprisingly, the UCSF study found that loneliness can be especially debilitating to older adults and may predict serious health problems and even death.
On the flip side, research has shown that people with close friends are happier, healthier, and live longer.
But why? And how do we keep those bonds alive?
An Optimist’s Guide to Connection
In his refreshing, positive guide Friendship in the Age of Loneliness, Adam Smiley Poswolsky walks us through how to forge deep connections in the digital age. In his book, Poswolsky offers practical habits and playful reminders on how to create meaningful connections, make new friends, and deepen relationships.
The world is digital, and there are lots of ways we can make friends with people that are not close to us geographically. Friendship in the Age of Loneliness will help you develop a healthier relationship with technology so you can leverage digital connections (and help you find healthy online communities like Days at Dunrovin) to build lasting friendships.
But this book also encourages you to prioritize real-world experiences, send snail mail, and engage in self-reflective exercises. After all, digital isn’t the be all and end all to solving our loneliness problems.
Written in short, digestible, action-oriented sections, this book reminds us that nurturing old and new friendships is a ritual, a necessity, and one of the most worthwhile things we can do in life.
What the Reviews Say
We love the practical, impactful style of this book. Reviews over and over state how much they love the “accessible, concise, uplifting” style of the writing. It helps to break down the barriers of making friends as adults, which can otherwise feel “weird” and make it all a lot easier.
Sawyer even goes so far as to say it’s one of her favorite purchases –
“I was a bit wary of purchasing this book, but it’s one of my favorite purchases that I’ve made. Every time I pick up this book, it brings me a great deal of joy. As soon as I finish it, I plan to start over. The lessons that Smiley has accumulated in these pages are priceless and I have no doubt that many of them will stay with me for a lifetime. Do yourself a favor and buy this book, then buy another copy to give away.”
Get Out of Your Friendship Routine
If you feel a bit stuck in your friendship routine and know that you want deeper connections but just don’t know what to do, we highly recommend you pick up this book! It’s a quick, easy read that will stick with you for long after you’ve read it initially.
Then, you can practice your new skills with the Days at Dunrovin community and the friends you have maybe lost touch with around you.
Let’s make 2022 the year of connection!
