Male Friendships

As you all know, I focus on female friendships in the book and on this blog.  What about male friendships, you ask?!  Back in December 2013, there was a segment on "CBS This Morning" that explored the difficulty of male friendships, how it impacts their health, as well as similarity/differences between male and female friendships.

Some fascinating facts from the clip in terms of the similarity between male and female friendships: 1. men also have a challenging time making friends, and 2. men look for similar qualities in friends, such as someone they can trust and is dependable.  Interesting, huh?!

Take a look:

What do you think about the findings of the research?  Do you agree or disagree?

YouBeauty.com Article

I'm excited to share an article I was interviewed for:
How Gossip Can Be Good For You (If You Do It Right) by Dinsa Sachan

It's an interesting topic, especially because when we think of the word "gossip" we think of someone talking negatively about someone else.  However, this article puts a positive and creative spin on it.

An excerpt from the article:
"While people think of gossip as spiteful and unproductive, experts believe it can have great emotional benefits. "When friends come together, gossiping can help with bonding," explains Christine Weber, Ph.D., a Long Island, New York-based clinical psychologist. "It forms closer relationships with friends who share the same values, activities and interests."

Gossip can also boost social support where you didn’t expect it, says Nicole Zangara, a licensed clinical social worker and author of “Surviving Female Friendships: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.” “When we learn information about a friend that we might not have known because they felt ashamed to tell us themselves—for example, they were recently diagnosed with a disease or are going through a separation—we can then reach out and be there for them.”'

Thus, Dinsa provides some tips on how to gossip the right way, which includes being smart about who you're gossiping with, as well as knowing when not to gossip.  

What are your thoughts?  Are you someone who likes to gossip?  Do you view gossip as a good or bad thing?