Finding a strong and lasting friendship is a gift that everyone deserves. Life can be tough, but it is manageable with the right people by your side. Strong friendships take work, but they are certainly possible. Here are some ways to build good friendships in your own life.
Be Open
To build strong friendships, you must be open. Don't hesitate to share your problems and concerns with those you consider as friends. Your true friends will be supportive, and the ones who can't handle all of you can be valued as social acquaintances.
Give Almost Everyone a Chance Don't box yourself in by expectations of who would make a good friend. A great friendship can arise out of the most unlikely situation. As long as your intuition is not telling you to stay away from someone, or if you know that they are unsafe, be willing to make friends with anyone who comes your way. You both might be pleasantly surprised.
Be Friendly To build a good friendship, you must first make a friend. Wear the smile and be approachable. Be a friendly person and you will attract the same kind of person to yourself.
Spend Time Together To build a strong friendship, you need to spend time together. Don't let life get too busy to make the time for each other. Make a point of including each other in your lives on a consistent basis.
Be Patient and Forgiving Every friendship has its ups and downs. Be forgiving and always be willing to make amends. Don't let a disagreement and hard feelings take away a valuable relationship or steal your happiness.
Be Authentic
In order to have a deep friendship, you must be truly you. Be authentic as a person. You are one of a kind, and there will be kindred spirits who are drawn to the very essence of you. You are exactly who you need to be in order to build friendships. Being authentic enables you to grow close and reach beyond the surface level.
Don't Be Demanding
Even a good friendship can be destroyed when one or both parties begin to place demands on each other. Every relationship comes with certain expectations, but don't exceed what is necessary. Don't look to one person to give you everything you need out of life.
Listen
When your friend needs an ear to hear them out, be there for them. A strong friendship is not always built through giving amazing advice, but through being a good listener. A good listener will outlast the person who is the life of the party but can't be bothered to sit down and listen.
A good friendship is worth every effort you put into it. It is not easy to build one, but with a strong foundation, it will always be there for both of you. Do what is necessary to make a strong friendship become even stronger, and you will both consider yourselves blessed.