Friendship is a cornerstone of life’s happiness. Discover how trust, kindness, and connection can help you nurture and celebrate the relationships that matter most.
Practise kindfulness in friendships
Kindness remains at the core of successful friendships and it’s a value that most people appreciate. It’s also important to remember to show gratitude when a friend is kind to you. Remember also that encouraging words and giving your time to help people are often more important than gifts.
Build trust through dependability
Another quality that rates highly is trust. Being responsible, reliable, and able to keep confidences is important, so try to honour commitments you make, don’t let people down, and when your friends share confidential or sensitive information make sure you keep it private.
Find balance in giving & taking
Few people have the capacity to cope with friends who are a constant strain on their emotions, but you don’t have to be the life and soul of the party all the time, either. Try to strike a balance: rely on your friends to support you through tough times, but also offer a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on, or an uplifting outing when they need it.
Listen with care & attention
You will only learn what truly matters to your friends if you pay close attention to what they say. Make a point of asking questions and be aware of what’s going on in their lives. Know about the other people, places, and activities that are significant to them, and try to listen without judgement or interruption when they come to you for help.
Strengthen bonds through vulnerability
You can build greater intimacy with people by being vulnerable and open. Being willing to disclose personal experiences, and share hopes, fears, and dreams, can nurture those all-important feelings of trust and connection. Deeper conversations can lead to deeper understanding.
Prioritise quality connection
It is possible to spread yourself too thinly. Building close friendships takes time and people need to be available for each other. Trying to be all things to all people might prevent you from being able to have deep bonds with the people who really matter.
