7 Ways To Be a Better Friend

I’m an introvert. I don’t make friends that easily and I struggle to maintain even those few friendships that I do make. I suffer a great deal when I find myself in situations where I am required to reach out to new people and make friends.
In spite of this, I have managed to make a few friends who I think are lifelong friends. They aren’t that many but I am happy with them. You see over the years, I have realized that I don’t need to have tens of thousands of friends (which were very difficult to find anyway), what I needed were just a few, dependable friends. And in that respect, I now know that in order to maintain these friendships I need to work on them.

Below are 7 ways to be a better friend.

1. Make time.
Make time to spend with your friends. Visit them, go out together, be available to celebrate and to console when the time calls for it.

2. Listen to them.
Avoid being the only one who speaks whenever you meet up. Allow them to talk about their lives, dreams, challenges. Contribute where you need to.

3. Encourage them.
It’s your duty as a friend to encourage your friends to be the best they can be in their careers and in their personal lives.

4. Remember important details.
Never forget their birthdays or other important dates in their lives. Also remember to ask follow up questions for things that need it.

5. Allow them to be vulnerable in front of you.
Let them be who they really are when you are together. Let all their quirky, weird personality traits to come through. And be the same when you are around them.

6. Avoid having expectations.
Don’t allow yourself to expect perfection from your friends. They too have flaws, just as you do. There will come a time when their actions will disappoint you but that doesn’t mean that they are bad friends.

7. Do the unexpected.
Go out of your way to surprise your friends. When they least expect it, visit, buy their favourite meal, offer to run their errands, etc.

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