The lyrics of a song we sang in our teens encouraged us to “Make new friends but keep the old.” The reason was simplified for us-“one is silver and the other gold.” The song highlighted the need to widen one’s circle of friends. This, however, brings these momentous questions to the fore-” What sort of friend do people expect me to be?” and “Who do I choose as my friend?”. These questions are keys to choosing the best friend ever. We offer below 5 ways to guide you in choosing the best friend ever.
- Invest Your Time, Energy And Resources
A garden becomes attractive because the gardener invests his/her time, energy, and resources to turn the garden into a beautiful sight attraction. S/he had time to plant and cater for the plants, use his energy to carry out the services of planting, pruning, and weeding around the plants, as well as using his/her finances to support the gardening services. To maintain a lasting friendship, friends would mutually have to invest their time, energy, and resources to keep the friendship alive. The result will be a strong bond of union.
- Have Realistic Expectations About Your Friends.
No one is perfect. So don’t expect perfection from your friends. You may offend your friends by either what you say or do, not out of hatred for them but due to the pressures of life or circumstances beyond your control. Expect they’ll act the same way toward you at times. Mutually coping with the mistakes of others is a strong foundation for a lasting friendship.
- Be A Good Communicator
Being a good communicator involves knowing the time to talk and to remain silent. Just as you may find it infuriating and boring to have a conversation with someone who dominates a conversation, avoid the temptations of destroying your friendship by knowing when you listen to and contribute to a conversation. Doing so speaks volumes. It tells the other person that you value hi
- Be Frank With Your Friend
Gardening involves getting rid of weeds from time to time, devoid of which is detrimental to the garden’s health. You could also be frank with your friends by candidly but lovingly telling them what isn’t right with them instead of flattering them while serious problems lurch. Later, as they discover the veracity of your correction, they will have confidence in you, and your friendship with them will grow
- Widen Out Your Circle Of Friends
While you’ll need to be selective as to whom you befriend, you’ll also need to widen out your circle of friends by not limiting your friends to your age mates or those belonging to a particular upbringing. Widen out your circle of friends to include real friends from diverse cultural backgrounds, ages, and nationalities. This will expose you to interesting experiences.
