1. Self Awareness
Consistently self-reflecting and understanding your own strengths and weakness allows you to gain insight into yourself. Once you understand yourself it easier to identify how your behaviors impact your relationships.
2. Practicing Forgiveness
Learning to see situations from the opposing’s perspective may help you empathize more and forgive. For instance, a friend of your’s had a traumatic experience causing them to neglect the friendship, unknowingly. You could either A: Be upset at the fact the friend has not been as present as usual or B: Understand their situation has put them in a mental state where they do not have the ability to be as available.
Self-forgiveness is also important in relationships. For example, damaging the trust of a friend is awful; however, whether or not they forgive you, you must forgive yourself in order to move on and become a better friend for the future.
3. Listen
Giving people the time and space to release their thoughts and feelings allows for a balanced conversation (both speakers are being validated). Listen and remembering details of what loved ones tell you during a conversation creates validation and can be an act of care.
4. Display Commitment
Invest time and personal efforts into friendships. DO NOT LEAVE FRIENDS TO GUESS THEIR LEVEL OF IMPORTANCE.
5. Honesty
Be yourself, secure trust in your relationships. Allowing people to see the real you allows for vulnerability in relationships, so be true to yourself!