As I’ve returned home for the holidays, I have naturally been making lots of plans to hang out with my friends from high school. Not that I live out of state, I only see many of them a few times a year. We make arrangements to get coffee or take a walk and we catch up, relaying every detail of our lives that has happened while we have been apart. As much as I love this time spent together, it has also brought to my attention how little I know about my friend’s lives. Sure we text here and there, but in reality if you’re not seeing someone face to face on a regular basis, you grow apart. However, I think that there are some ways to be more intentional with your relationships so that you grow together rather than apart.
1. Listen
This may seem obvious, but often when we think we’re listening, we’re not. Rather we are thinking of a response that our friend would like to hear or what we’re going to tell them about ourselves instead. It is best to truly just hear what the other person has to say.
2. Communicate
Communication is evidently essential in any relationship, platonic or not. You want to make sure that the person that you are talking to feels heard and also gets to hear from you, while assuring you both can be on the same page or at least make a fair compromise.
3. Calling/Facetiming
Texting is so much different than FaceTiming or calling your friend. Hearing someone’s voice and seeing their face and reactions can make your connection much stronger and your conversations more meaningful.
Though friendships and relationships can be very complex and take a lot of effort, these are just 3 simple things that might keep staying in touch and staying good friends a little bit easier.