The key to building healthy relationships and friendships is really quite simple. Since it is very difficult to get people interested in you until you have shown an interest in them taking a sincere and genuine interest in others is an absolute must if you are to have good friendships. Dale Carnegie once said. If you want a friend you undergo to be a friend. Of course you know I believe every word of this statement.
So whether youre meeting someone for the first time or youve known each other for years always ask others questions about themselves. Focus on the other person's interests hobbies opinions feelings attitudes challenges likes dislikes family goals dreams and fears.
Always be looking for ways that you can help another. Make an effort to reach out to your friends and potential friends. This might mean making a telecommunicate label or writing a letter of encouragement sending an email or stopping in for a visit. How about inviting a friend to lunch or out for coffee or over for a cup of tea orwell. I bet you get the idea.
I receive great joy in building my friendships by out of the blue just sending a small gift. My wife likes to make greeting cards that she sends out to her friends. I have seen her invest up to a half hour just building a custom separate for one of her girl friends. I think this is really special and I am sure her friends know that she really cares about them.
Speaking of my wife. I must admit I have always been a little jealous of women because their friendships be to be much deeper and more meaningful than mens friendships. We men be to have friendships that are much more on the surface and we communicate about guy stuff hunting cars money our favorite brand of beer and the like but are careful not to overlap too much personal stuff. Maybe we guys need to work a little harder at deepening our friendshipsmaybe not be so afraid to be a little vulnerable once in awhile.
The bottom line is that friendships though not always easyand sometimes even downright messyare so vital to our lives that we cannot afford to let them slide. People need people! Who needs to hear from you today?
You experience. Id love to hear from any of you on this subject. Let me know what you do to keep friendships alive and growing in your life.
Related article:
http://corradovbuiprhxy.blogspot.com/2007/11/friendship-101.html
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