Page 78 - Relationships101 A Guide To Building Healthy Relationships Final 1

Ways to Improve your Quality and Quantity of Friendships

Put your friends on your calendar: set aside time. You can spend time with them
physically or through other forms of communication. Make the time you spend with them
important. Do not cancel at the last minute. If you must cancel, be honest and let them
know why.

Try taking the initiative: turning acquaintances into friends can be easy. You can
have dinner at your home or go out. If you have an extra ticket, offer it to your
acquaintance. Get both of your families together. Go to the movies or the mall, or just for
a drive to a park.

Get used to listening: Don’t make it all about you. Ask your friend questions about
their life, and don’t turn everything back to yourself.

Assess before you invest: Having a new friend is an investment of time, energy, and
spirit.

Ask these questions to yourself:

1. Are you happy to see this person?
2. At times, do you see this person out of obligation or social climbing?
3. Do you respect this individual?
4. Do you care about their well-being?
5. Are you interested in the individual’s mind, experiences, and problems?

Friendship Leading to Love

Be straightforward: If this friendship is to lead to an important relationship, you
need to expose all of you. This will help the other person learn about you and what
you value. Honesty is the best policy.

Remember: Try not to bring your personal problems with you. We all have
problems throughout our lives. We need to control our troubles. As a relationship
grows, people should be able to express their problems and get help and support.

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