Learning to become a great friend
We all want to become a great friend because it will help to attract like-minded people that will help to enrich our lives. Studies have actually found that individuals with strong friendships actually like longer, healthier lives. A friend is the person you call when you are excited. They are the person you call when you are sad. Overall, a friend is a person that can understand all of the different emotions we go through and love us for our ups and downs. Here are some tips to help you learn how to become a better friend:
- Become a better listener. A good friend is able to listen to listen to your concerns. They will give you advice if you ask for it. They are not going to judge you for what you say or what you are feeling. To become a better listener, give your friends eye contact when they are talking. Show them that you care by giving them your physical attention as well as emotional attention. Doing simple things like nodding your head or facial gestures will show your friends that you care about them and you are listening to what they have to say. Be sure to repeat a couple things that they say and always follow up in a couple weeks after you have spoken to see how they are doing.
|
|
- Talk to your friends. It is easy for a friendship to die off when you do not communicate with one another. A good friend will call you when you are bored. They will call you for no reason if just to say hello. If you want people to follow you and be your friend, you need to be their friend first by showing them that you care about them through good communication.
- Surprise your friends. Show up at their office and take them to lunch. It's a simple way to show your friends that you care about them and that they are important in your life.
- Appreciate your friends. Do not take advantage of your friends and show them how much you appreciate them by offering them a valuable friendship in return. Try to be there for them when they need you. Let them know you are always here for them and you are willing to listen to them when they go through hard times and good times.
- Be supportive. Sometimes the best friends we have are the people that will stand by our sides not matter what happens. Be this type of friend. All you need to do is be there for your friends. You don't always need to agree with their choices in life, but let them know that you will always be their friend and you will stand by them.
- Help your friends realize what their strengths are. Tell them how important they are to you and help them find out some of the amazing things they have been able to accomplish in life. Teach them how to love themselves and to be grateful for who they are.
- Be positive. A good friend will help us feel better. They are uplifting and a person we want to be around. If you really want to be a great friend, you need to be positive. No one wants to be around a person that is negative or depressive. While you don't need to be chipper all the time, it will help if you can have a positive outlook on life and focus on the good instead of the bad.
- Don't let distance ruin your friendship. Just because you are miles away doesn't mean you need to let your friendship disappear. Use social networking and other ways to stay in touch.
