It’s not hard to find suggestions on how to become a better person. Whether it’s to tone your body, train your brain, or change your attitude, you can probably find an app, video series, or podcastor at least a dozen books that can guide you in the right direction to achieve your goals.
Most people struggle to improve themselves in some way, no matter where they are in life. However, there is an area for development that could be the key to a great improvement in everyday life. What is this magical path to living a fuller life? Simple: become a best friend.
Here are some tips for being a better friend.. Please read carefully!
be sensitive
Communicate with others honestly and tactfully. Be willing to express your own perspective and genuine feelings, but do so in a kind and sensitive way to the feelings of others.
Keep your word
Always be a person of your word. Support the promises and intentions you have regarding your commitments to other people. Be the kind of friend that people can trust.
trust your friends
Being a good friend also means that you have to be willing to trust your friends. Most people feel good about themselves when they know that others can trust them, since it is often a source of pride to know that they are trustworthy.
You spread positive feelings by being willing to trust others. Too many people have a hard time trusting that others will be there for them, so take a leap of faith and show others how trust can be trusted and earned.
be a support
Be a support for others, metaphorically and literally, when you say you will. Show up for a friend with the awareness that there may be a time in the future when you need that friend to be there for you.
be loyal
Recognizing that you and all people have flaws, and accepting that as part of human frailty, is a significant aspect of enduring loyalty. Don’t give in to friends who falter or aren’t as present in your life as you’d like.
By being loyal to your friends, you build a strong support network. You don’t always know when you might need help, therefore, it’s best that you have a network of friends to break your fall, and that’s guaranteed if you’ve been loyal to them.
be empathic
Practice and master the precious gift of empathy for others. Put yourself in the place of the other and do not assume that your path is always the right one. Grow your ability to see the world from multiple perspectives.
This will help you get rid of any judgments or prejudices you have in interacting with others. Empathy and the ability to avoid judgment are two essential skills for maintaining and cultivating deep relationships.
Be there for your friends when they have bumps in the road, but just as important, be by their side as they celebrate their accomplishments.
Listen carefully
Learn to be present with a friend and to listen without feeling the need to intervene just because there is a pause in the conversation. Growth happens through learning and if you are not willing to listen to others, you cannot learn more than what you already know.
Celebrate your friends’ wins
Everyone knows how many people love the misery of others, but remember that most people love to be surrounded by people who are also able to celebrate their achievements in an authentic way, without envy or hypocrisy involved.
Don’t get angry, resent, or envy a friend’s good luck or the payoff for hard work, instead join the party! There is enough pain for everyone in this life, so don’t miss out on the opportunity to revel in the joy your friends can experience in their lives.
What do you do to cultivate strong friendships?
Article written by Andrés Gananci, editor of gananci.com, entrepreneur and adventurer with a passion for life, who founded his first online business at the age of 17 and, 12 years later, continues to travel the world while working from home.