A successful friendship is not witchcraft. That’s why some of the following tips may sound trivial, but this is how you can nurture the friendship in the long run and enjoy real online slots together.
- Quality versus quantity. A few really good friends are better than many you may only know superficially. Because you can rely on the few people you really know.
- Create shared experiences. If you share a lot of experiences, you can draw on them, look back on the good – and not so good – memories and tell a common story. That connects.
- Be reliable. Consciously take time for your friends and show them that they can rely on you. This is how you create trust between you.
- Be honest. Honesty is also a pillar of trust.
- Be grateful and appreciative. Regularly show your friends through words and gestures that they are important and matter to you. And a focus on gratitude helps you become more satisfied yourself, too.
- Be loyal. Stand by your friends and stand up for them. But that doesn’t mean you can’t disagree with them.
- Support your friends. In good times, it is easy to be a good friend. It’s only in bad times that you’ll see who’s really trying.
- Create shared routines and rituals. In everyday life, it’s easy to lose sight of each other. Everyone has their own life, job and family. To stay in touch despite this, it helps to have one or more fixed dates when you do something together, for example a weekly phone call. How often and for how long is entirely up to you.
- Be empathetic and listen. Then your friends will feel valued by you.
It’s all in the mix. Don’t pretend and be authentic – but still try to emphasize your positive sides.
Ask for advice. This will make your friends feel that they are important to you and that you value their opinion.
Allow friends their success. This is another part of loyalty: Even if it makes you envious, you show how much someone means to you when you are honestly happy for their success.
It takes two to maintain a friendship. If you put in as much effort as you can, but nothing comes back, you may not be a good fit as friends. Be open about what bothers you about the other person’s behavior and don’t judge too quickly. Sometimes it is also the better decision to give up a friendship.
MAINTAINING FRIENDSHIPS AT A DISTANCE
Social media and the Internet make it much easier today to maintain friendships even over long distances or without regular meetings. But the work is ultimately up to you and your friends. The biggest hurdle in long-distance friendships is not to drift apart. But there are a few tricks you can use to achieve this.
- Share your life with others. Send photos from time to time, write to your friends about what’s going on and ask about their lives.
- Create common routines and rituals. Even more than in a friendship, where you see each other regularly, routines can help maintain the friendship.
- Go the distance to pursue common interests. For example, arrange to watch the same movie or read the same book. That way, you’ll have something to talk about.
- Talk on the phone regularly. Video also allows for more depth, as you can see your gestures and facial expressions.
- Honesty, reliability, appreciation. These values are just as important in a long-distance friendship as in a friendship where you see each other regularly.
- Communicate transparently and openly. Often these days, expectations quickly build up that everyone must be available at all times and respond immediately to every message. It’s perfectly okay if you don’t want that – it’s best to communicate that openly.
