Being a Friend Yourself

Friendship – or any human relationship for that matter – is a matter of reciprocation. You only get as good as you give. Do unto others as you would like to be done unto yourself. This is very apt when it comes to fostering friendships.

So, if you want to be a friend for someone, it is absolutely vital that you are a friend to them too. Suppose your friend wishes to go for a movie that you don't want to go. Most people would refuse that outright. But that‟s not done! Wouldn't you want your friend to accompany you for a movie that you want to watch, even if they didn't? Your friend wishes to go shopping. You don't go. But then, isn't it unfair to expect them to come on a ride with you when they don't want to?

We are built like that – selfishness is inherent in all of us to an extent. But that doesn't work if you are trying to build a friendship. If you want your friend to be there for you, you have to be there for them.

If you see them weeping, you have to ask what's bothering them. If you don't, you must not expect their shoulder to lean on when you are down in the dumps.

Being attentive to their needs is an important part of the friendship game. Your friends won't tell you everything. There are times when they will expect you to understand more than words. At such times, you are a good friend if you can guess what's going on in their mind and work accordingly. This happens over time as you start understanding them in a better way. Sometimes, you can act on a quirk – you see something in a store that you know your friend will like, and you buy it for them. When you give this to them, they will be pleased not because you bought something for them but because you remembered what their special tastes are.

Conversation with friends is considered the best form of conversation because you can talk unbridled about anything you want. But there are some lines to draw here too. Your talk should not be unnecessarily demeaning to them. Yes, you can criticize them, and in fact friends expect your criticism, but if you are playing them down all the time, you should not expect them to pat your shoulder often too.

You may have talents that your friend doesn't have. But you can be a true friend to them only if you keep these prejudices away. Always bear in mind that your friend has several talents that you don't have.

If you want to be treated in a particular way, treat others in the same way first. This is the law of nature; it always works.

#friendships #mlm #networking