How To Become A Much Better Friend

When your friends do a lot for you, it is only natural that you want to give something back. You want to become a better friend for them, but you might not know how.

Here are a few simple ideas to get you started.

No relationship is perfect

It is important to realize that no relationship, whether romantic, between parents and children, or between friends is perfect.

That means that there will always be hiccups and disagreements.

The trick lies in understanding your friend, and letting your friend understand you so that you know what to expect from each other in most situations.

That way, even when surprises do happen, they shouldn't be too big to cause a stir in your friendship.

Be there - physically

Although you can be supportive over the phone or on Skype, being physically there to comfort and consult your friend in hard times is extremely important.

The saying goes - far from sight, far from mind - and it is as true today as it was when someone thought of that saying. That saying should also emphasize the importance of physically being there for your friend, and your friend being near you as well, of course.

Be respectable

Respecting each other and your differences is the only true way to maintain friendship. As much as the two of you can be alike, there are bound to be clashes of opinion that will always create a bit of friction between the two of you.

These can also be good as they can spice your friendship up, because you get to challenge yourselves constantly, resulting in growth as both friends and human begins in general for all parties involved.

Listen

Listening is the key to any relationship.

Listening does not mean just "lending an ear". It means trying to understand the person, why they are saying what they are saying, what are their fears, motives, desires.

Why are they saying something to you? Think about all of these things and ask questions on the points you don't fully understand, so your friend can clarify them and then you will understand your friend better.

Sharing Secrets

Sharing secrets and thoughts that go outside of the social norm, something you both share, could be a real booster for your friendship and can speed up your bonding.

So, don't hesitate, if you truly consider the person a friend, share a secret you didn't dare share with anyone else before, and watch your friendship go to the new level and thrive.

Christopher Montrose often writes about self help subjects that he is fascinated by, such as hypnosis, positive affirmations, NLP, subliminal audio and the law of attraction, among many others.