Most understand that friendships are a valuable facet of life itself. Friends are there for birthday parties, graduation, the birth of a first child and even big losses like a death in the family. Still, it’s not uncommon to go weeks, maybe even months without speaking to a friend. It may even get to a point where they’ve become more like casual acquaintances. How can we avoid missing out and developing stronger friendships?
Find a common interest and make it a reoccurring thing that you both do together. Whether you both love Zumba, playing soccer or watching the newest episode of the Bachelor, spending time together and bonding over common interests that made you friends to begin with are all ways you can forge an even deeper bond.
Do not be afraid to open your life up to your friends. The fear of not being included is real, and often times we may overlook events in our life that friends want to be a part of. Do you have a family barbeque this Sunday? Invite them over, make them feel included and you’ll see that they’ll start opening up as well.
Always be present. Put down your phone and truly catch up with your friend. Distractions often get in the way of real conversation. A person will feel you want to invest in their friendship if they feel that you are listening, asking questions and giving honest advice. It’s what you would want out of friend too, right?
