In the past year, one of my goals has been to become more thoughtful in my relationships. With so much loss in the past year and so much taken for granted, being thoughtful felt necessary. So, I made a vow to myself to try to make small changes in my day-to-day life to be a better friend. Through this self-inflicted journey, I learned qualities that I value in relationships, and I learned many attributes that I do not care for regarding relationships. Today, I will share with you all three ways that you can become more thoughtful in your relationships, platonic or romantic.
- Ask them how their day is going.
This may seem like a small feat, but it is often disregarded. This question may sometimes seem pointless because we are all doing the same things every day, but I find that it is an easy and efficient way to show people that you care. This simple question can strike up an unexpected conversation and work as an ice breaker for new relationships.
- Say thank you.
Again, a task that seems very obvious and straightforward but, in my personal experience, many people forget to give thanks. I discovered that I was so comfortable in some of my relationships that I just stopped thanking them. This is a bad habit that we all fall victim to. Always remember to thank the people in your life, whether it is your roommate putting the dishes away or your significant other openings a door for you. It is imperative to show appreciation for those we care about.
- If you are out running errands, ask them if they need anything.
This is yet another way you can be thoughtful and show people that you care. It is as easy as sending a quick text message or phone call. This is something that I learned from one of my roommates. I always appreciated when she took us into consideration when she was out running errands that I chose to implement into my own life. Again, something as easy as buying your roommates eggs can make their day better and make your relationship stronger.
This has been a strange year; we are all living through something that nobody in history has ever before. We took for granted a lot and a lot that we are still taking for granted. But I think that relationships are something that we have all learned to value so much over the past year. Being a thoughtful person and surrounding yourself with thoughtful people will improve your mood. We need to stop taking for granted the thanks and the genuine interest we gain from friendships and relationships. If 2020 and 2021 have taught us anything, it is that nothing is permanent, and you have to be the best person you can while you can. I hope that these small little tricks can help you become a better and more thoughtful person.