Let's be friends

SELFCares Newsletter, August 2nd, 2017 SELFCares About Why friendships are actually the best [How to Make New Friends as an Adult (Without Seeming Creepy)]( [SELF]( [girls taking selfies] This week, we're talking about... Why friendships are actually the best I got broken up with a few months ago. OK—I know what you're thinking. Who is this SELF editor and why is she emailing me about her most recent breakup? Bear with me. So yeah, I got broken up with a few months ago. Everyone has their own post-breakup coping mechanism, whether it's binging Netflix or downloading every dating app in existence. My go-to? Investing in my friendships. That might sound like a load of BS, but I promise it's not—deepening other connections in my life helps me realize how much more important these are than any failed relationship. Spending time with people I care about reminds me I don't need a boyfriend to feel happy. Or fulfilled. Or loved. But friendships aren't always easy. People can be difficult, confusing, and downright annoying. Making new friends can be hard, and staying in touch with old ones can be equally challenging. These anxieties are both valid and completely normal—that's why I'm sending you an entire email about them. Below you'll find some of my favorite stories about friendships (the good, the bad, and the ugly). Because here at SELF, we understand that healthy, fulfilling relationships are a key part of living your best life. [Lindsey Lanquist, Associate Editor]( [two girls going out]( [How to Make New Friends as an Adult (Without Seeming Creepy)]( I know so many people who have moved to new places where they've known no one—and the struggle to make friends outside the workplace has been so real. In this article, you'll find six therapist-approved tips for making new connections no matter where you are. [TRY IT OUT]( Advertisement [advertisement]( [Powered by LiveIntent]( [AdChoices]( [drinking coffee at a table]( [The 4 Best and Worst Things to Say to a Friend Going Through a Breakup]( I can't be the only one who struggles to say the right thing in emotional situations...right? [READ MORE]( [drawing of two friends]( [10 Things Your Socially Anxious Friend Wishes You Knew]( IMHO, friendships are built on a foundation of mutual understanding. Sometimes my friends do things that hurt, confuse, or annoy me, but I try to put myself in their shoes—articles like this help me do that by reminding me not to take everything so personally. [LEARN MORE]( [advertisement]( [Powered by LiveIntent]( [AdChoices]( [pictures of girls cut in half]( [I Broke Up With My Toxic Best Friends, And Life Is So Much Better Now]( Sometimes friendships are worth salvaging, and sometimes they're not. In this essay, writer Kate Duer talks about how she learned to put herself first—even if it meant disrupting the harmony of her friend group. [READ UP]( [bridesmaid gifts]( [18 Bridesmaid Gifts That Say 'Thanks for Dropping Thousands on My Big Day']( This is one of my favorite pieces on SELF.com right now. I'm nowhere near getting married or being a bridesmaid, but Jessica (SELF's Senior Beauty Editor) is hilarious. Plus I want like, half the gifts on this list. [TAKE A LOOK]( [advertisement]( [Powered by LiveIntent]( [AdChoices]( I Took My Mom on a Surprise Trip and It Totally Changed Our Relationship Because sometimes a getaway with mom is just what the doctor ordered. [It's True]( [Anne Roderique-Jones and her mom]( Sharing Is Caring! Forward this newsletter to your friends! Got this from a friend? [Sign Up Here]( [instagram]( [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( Sent from Condé Nast, 1 World Trade Center, New York, NY 10001, attn: Email Coordinator Copyright © 2017 Condé Nast.