Having friends, especially ones that you are close to, can be beneficial for both your physical and mental health. This is why you should always take steps to strengthen friendships when possible. Here is a look at ways you can go about this.
Be Honest and Authentic
One way that you can attempt to strengthen a friendship is making sure that you are being honest with your friends. You shouldn’t just be telling them what they want to hear. It is okay to have an opinion and tell them the truth when they ask for your opinion.
You should also be authentic, meaning you don’t have to change yourself when you are around a friend. When you are doing these two things, chances are your friends will like you for you. In many cases, people that care about you will want to hang out with you no matter if you have a few differences, or you don’t like all the same things. This is fine.
If you want to learn more about friendship, this site can be valuable. There is advice on how to be a good friend you may want to consider.
Be a Good Listener
Being a good listener is something else that can make you a better friend. There may have been times when a friend was trying to tell you something, and you were too busy to listen. Try not to do that any more.
When a person you care about needs someone to talk to or asks you for your advice, make some time to be there for them. This can be especially important if your friends are always there for you.
Let Them Have Their Opinions
If you have friends that have been in your life for many years, chances are you have noticed that you have different opinions on many topics. This is to be expected and simply means that your tastes are different. It is fine to let your friend have their opinions and likes. They likely let you have yours as well.
Spend Time Together
Although you may not get to hang out with your closest friends as often as you want to, you should do what you can to spend time with them when you are able to. This means meeting up face to face and hanging out.
You can grab coffee, go to their house, or take them to dinner. When you are in the same space, you will be able to grow your bond and it may also improve your mood and make you feel better.
If you are not able to see your friends, you can also call, text, and keep up with them on social media. This will ensure that you are able to keep in touch, until you are able to see each other in person again.
Work Through Disagreements
At times, friends may disagree on things. This isn’t a cause for concern. The important part is that you have to be able to make up after a disagreement. Even if you find that you are angry with a friend, think about what that person means to you. Would you be upset if you stopped talking to them?
When the answer is yes, you need to make sure that you continue to communicate, even if you have had an argument. After some time passes, you may forget why you were so upset with them in the first place.
Conclusion
Anytime you want to become a better friend and strengthen your friendships, it will take some effort. However, it is not impossible.
Some things to remember are that you need to be yourself, listen to your friends, spend quality time with them, and work through arguments. Together, these techniques may be able to make a difference when it comes to being the type of friend you want to be.
This post was developed via a partnership with BetterHelp.
The BetterHelp Editorial Team is made up of professional researchers, writers, editors, and licensed therapists from across the globe. All members of the Editorial Team have received specialized education in their fields, and come from diverse backgrounds, while all sharing an expertise and passion for mental health. Our team works together to ensure all of our content is always accurate, compassionate, and up to date.