A Thriving Friendship

Written by: Kevin Price

April 8, 2023

Having friends is important. People are in need of people, regardless of the type of personality that you may have. We need friends to motivate us. We need friends to help us, especially to deal with difficult situations in our lives, rather than facing them alone. As the world grows darker, the bond of friendship should shine brighter. Here are 9 ways to make a friendship grow stronger:

1) Try to understand each other

Many of us have grown up in different Cultures and environments or may have experienced different things. Listen to one anothers backstory. Explain your childhood or upbringing in ways that your friends can understand. Make it simple for them. During this process, always make sure that you're being patient.

2) Do more listening than speaking

There is a time to speak and a time to be silent. To know your friends more deeply, you'll have to listen more. You know someone's heart by what they say and do. Listening and observing are 2 key components of getting to know an individual.

3) Communicate often

This is only a suggestion, but I wouldn't go more than 2-3 days without communicating in some form or fashion. A simple text if you don't have time for a phone call will do. We all get busy in life, but making an honest effort to communicate often, has great results.

4) Meet each others families

If possible, meeting the family of your friends is a great way to build your friendship. If we really love our friends, they should be treated as part of our family.

5) Be respectfully honest

We must always work at telling the truth. Whether it be about ourselves or our friends. Private conversations are best. Speak honestly to one another with out being rude or insulting.

6) Encourage

Talk to one another in ways that build up and not tear down. Compliment each others gifts and talents. While recieving compliments, always be humble. Show gratitude, but ecknowledge that you can still improve. Your Gifts can always be developed.

7) Celebrate their acheivements

Was there anything that a friend of yours recieved an award for? Celebrate with them, applaud their success! Truly be happy for them for what they've worked hard to acheive.

8) Apologize

If you've truly hurt your friends, then apologize to them. We are all imperfect people who don't get it right all of the time. When we apoplogize, it actually shows our friends that we are all in need of forgiveness.

9) Forgive their mistakes

If we desire mercy when we do wrong, we should also give that same mercy to our fellow man. Holding onto offences keeps your heart imprisoned. Forgiveness truly sets the heart free!

What do you think? Is there anything that I may have missed? Let me know in the comments!