10 . Developing and maintaining healthy friendships involves give-and-take. Sometimes you’re the one giving support, 1 . Letting friends know you care about them and appreciate them can help strengthen your bond. It’s as important for you to be a good friend as it is to surround yourself with good friends. Here are some tips helping you nurture your friendships.
Be a good listener. 2 . Then while listening, let the other person know you are paying close attention through eye contact, body language and occasional brief comments such as, “That sounds fun.” When friends share details of hard times or difficult experiences, be empathetic, but don’t give advice unless your friends ask for it.
Show that you can be trusted. Being responsible, reliable and dependable is key to forming strong friendships. 3 . Follow through on commitments you’ve made to your friends. When your friends share confidential information, keep it private.
4 . Building a close friendship takes time — together. Make an effort to see new friends regularly, and to check in with them in between meet ups. You may feel awkward the first few times you talk on the phone or get together, but this feeling is likely to pass as you get more comfortable with each other.
Manage your nerves with mindfulness. You may find yourself imagining the worst of social situations, and you may feel tempted to stay home. Use mindfulness exercises to reshape your thinking. Each time you imagine the worst, pay attention to how often the embarrassing situations you’re afraid of actually take place. 5 .
Investing time in making friends and strengthening your friendships can pay off in better health and a brighter outlook for years to come.
| A．Value the time spent with friends |
| B．and more often you should receive |
| C．Create more opportunities with friends |
| D．Ask what’s going on in your friends’ lives |
| E．and other times you’re on the receiving end |
| F．Keep your appointments and arrive on time |
| G．You may notice what you fear usually doesn’t happen |
