"Friendship is like money, easier made than kept." Samuel Butler
"Friendship is like money, easier made than kept." Samuel Butler
Some find making friends easy and can be friends with anyone they lay eyes on. But regardless of how easy or hard it is for you to make friends you need to know how to keep those friends. Friends make this crazy life a more happy fun, and exciting experience. So its important that we savor and protect these relationships. Any human relationship whether it be friendship or with a significant can crumble under pressure and hard times. So today I'm here to provide some ways to maintain and keep these relationships!
Some find making friends easy and can be friends with anyone they lay eyes on. But regardless of how easy or hard it is for you to make friends you need to know how to keep those friends. Friends make this crazy life a more happy fun, and exciting experience. So its important that we savor and protect these relationships. Any human relationship whether it be friendship or with a significant can crumble under pressure and hard times. So today I'm here to provide some ways to maintain and keep these relationships!
Tip#1: Be open and honest
Tip#1: Be open and honest
Relationships built on pretense, phonies, facades are likely to crumble because a relationship is only as good as their foundation.To maintain a great relationship, you must be open and honest. Receiving and/or offering feedback from someone you care about is very underrated and not may people see the importance. Having a friend and/or partner that can tell you how it is can help you make better decisions and can help you find yourself. Now, being able to reciprocate further forces and requires you to live with honesty, directness, and integrity. Don't bottle your emotions and concerns be sure to share how you feel it will be beneficial for you, your friend/partner, and your relationship.
Relationships built on pretense, phonies, facades are likely to crumble because a relationship is only as good as their foundation.To maintain a great relationship, you must be open and honest. Receiving and/or offering feedback from someone you care about is very underrated and not may people see the importance. Having a friend and/or partner that can tell you how it is can help you make better decisions and can help you find yourself. Now, being able to reciprocate further forces and requires you to live with honesty, directness, and integrity. Don't bottle your emotions and concerns be sure to share how you feel it will be beneficial for you, your friend/partner, and your relationship.
Tip#2: Make time and keep the interactions frequent
Tip#2: Make time and keep the interactions frequent
Take an interest in what they do and share your own interests with them as well. If they pick up a new interest or hobby,express that you're happy for them. Try to encourage to step out of their comfort zones and try to fun things together. Talk and share your stories about work, family, day to day life, and etc. Relationships are built of of sharing life. Share these memories and experiences in detail don't be vague and boring. By doing this you'll know each other better. The more you know about each other, the stronger your bond will be. Keep these interactions frequent and it will come natural and not feel forced or unwelcomed.
Take an interest in what they do and share your own interests with them as well. If they pick up a new interest or hobby,express that you're happy for them. Try to encourage to step out of their comfort zones and try to fun things together. Talk and share your stories about work, family, day to day life, and etc. Relationships are built of of sharing life. Share these memories and experiences in detail don't be vague and boring. By doing this you'll know each other better. The more you know about each other, the stronger your bond will be. Keep these interactions frequent and it will come natural and not feel forced or unwelcomed.
Tip#3: Don't make assumptions and try to change your expectations
Tip#3: Don't make assumptions and try to change your expectations
When we are in relationships we can force an expectation unto our partner/friend that can quickly make us feel sad, disappointed, hurt when they don't live up to that expectation. Don't try to impose such unrealistic expectations on your relationships because they are humans and as humans we make mistakes. You may show up in the relationship with gifts, affection, favors, etc. but we shouldn’t do with the mindset that they are expected to back. Don't try to read your friends mind an make baseless assumptions. Just straight up ask them how they think and operate and they might show they care in a different way then you expected.
When we are in relationships we can force an expectation unto our partner/friend that can quickly make us feel sad, disappointed, hurt when they don't live up to that expectation. Don't try to impose such unrealistic expectations on your relationships because they are humans and as humans we make mistakes. You may show up in the relationship with gifts, affection, favors, etc. but we shouldn’t do with the mindset that they are expected to back. Don't try to read your friends mind an make baseless assumptions. Just straight up ask them how they think and operate and they might show they care in a different way then you expected.
Tip#4: Dial down the criticism
Tip#4: Dial down the criticism
I previously said that you should be open and honest with your friends, always, However, there's a very very very thine line between honesty and criticism, don't cross it boo. Care more about doing what’s right than being right. Don't get me wrong, you’re allowed to criticize your friends. But in order for you to give proper criticism, criticism that will your friend/partner would be receptive and accepting to, you need to know the difference between constructive and destructive criticism. You should always go for the constructive critiques. IF you decide the criticize your friend/partner make sure you have good intentions. And make sure they are not petty, but logical and understandable. Don't use words or make comments that are hurtful and don't be cruel and wicked when doing it. You honesty and openness will help and be appreciated in the long run when you do it from a good heart.
I previously said that you should be open and honest with your friends, always, However, there's a very very very thine line between honesty and criticism, don't cross it boo. Care more about doing what’s right than being right. Don't get me wrong, you’re allowed to criticize your friends. But in order for you to give proper criticism, criticism that will your friend/partner would be receptive and accepting to, you need to know the difference between constructive and destructive criticism. You should always go for the constructive critiques. IF you decide the criticize your friend/partner make sure you have good intentions. And make sure they are not petty, but logical and understandable. Don't use words or make comments that are hurtful and don't be cruel and wicked when doing it. You honesty and openness will help and be appreciated in the long run when you do it from a good heart.
Tip#5: Share and Keep Secrets
Tip#5: Share and Keep Secrets
Sharing secrets isn't a must for a friendship to strengthen, it just means you can trust the other person and trust goes both ways, so make sure they also trust you. Secrets are a vital part of every friendship. Friends share secrets with one another all the time. Secrets can also make and break friendships. If your partner/friend decides to share a secret with you make sure you keep it, and that's on period. Once that person tells you a secret it means they are trusting you and you don't want o break that trust by telling other people. Don't use it to take advantage of your friend/partner and don't use it against them. Once you do that you are breaking the trust and the friendship is broken beyond repair. Once a friend/partner does start sharing their secrets with you, make sure you do the same. They shouldn't be putting all the work in and sharing and keeping secrets build a unbreakable bond and creates a safe space.
Sharing secrets isn't a must for a friendship to strengthen, it just means you can trust the other person and trust goes both ways, so make sure they also trust you. Secrets are a vital part of every friendship. Friends share secrets with one another all the time. Secrets can also make and break friendships. If your partner/friend decides to share a secret with you make sure you keep it, and that's on period. Once that person tells you a secret it means they are trusting you and you don't want o break that trust by telling other people. Don't use it to take advantage of your friend/partner and don't use it against them. Once you do that you are breaking the trust and the friendship is broken beyond repair. Once a friend/partner does start sharing their secrets with you, make sure you do the same. They shouldn't be putting all the work in and sharing and keeping secrets build a unbreakable bond and creates a safe space.
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