You may have friends in your life you can’t imagine losing. These are the friends who are there for you through the thick and thin. And, you are there for them in return.
Even if you have friends you can count on; sometimes, life gets busy. Friendships take effort, and it’s up to you to make sure your friendships last.
Here are some simple ways to strengthen your bonds to continue your friendships.
1. Make Time to Communicate
To maintain a relationship, you must make time to communicate often. But, unfortunately, sometimes life gets in the way, and a few weeks may go by before chatting with a friend.
You may not have time to update them on everything when things are busy. But even a short text letting them know you’re thinking of them is excellent. At least that way they’ll see that you haven’t forgotten about them.
If things continue to get busy for you or your friend, try to schedule a phone date. Or, you can catch up via texting or Facebook Messenger when you’re both free.
If you communicate often but live far apart, there are other ways to spend time together. For example, you could watch a Netflix movie together simultaneously! Use Teleparty to your advantage and watch a fun flick. Then, you can discuss afterward what you both thought of it!
Communication is vital in any relationship. So, if the friendship means a lot to you, make it a priority to check in with them frequently.
2. Spoil Them with Gifts Every Once in a While
Giving a friend a gift every once is an easy way to show them how much you appreciate them. Friends do a lot and lend a listening ear. Sometimes, showing your thanks in the form of a present can mean a lot.
You don’t have to go all out. Something as simple as a gift card to one of their favorite outlet stores is nice. Or, if you’d like to give them something more personal, consider buying a picture frame. Then, you can put a photo of you both in it.
Another idea is to give them something for their palette. For example, if they’re an avid coffee drinker, you could give them a new coffee blend. Unsure of which blend? Read this article. Coffee gifts for the coffee connoisseur are the best kind of presents!
No matter what you give them, they’ll undoubtedly be touched by your thoughtfulness!
3. Ask Them Questions You’ve Never Asked Before
You may think you know everything there is to know about your friend. But chances are there’s still a lot you don’t know. So it can be fun asking your friend new questions to get to know them better.
If they’re willing to play along, you both can come up with a series of questions. Then, during your next phone chat or in-person outing, you can fire away.
It’ll be fun finding out things you never knew before about your bestie. You may find you have even more in common than you thought!
4. Let Them Know You’re Available
Life gets hard, and sometimes, people have difficulty opening up. Even if you’re close with someone doesn’t mean they’re going to spill all their secrets. They may need someone to confide in but don’t want to feel like a burden.
You can be a good friend by letting a friend know that you’re there for them. Even if everything seems fine at the moment, they may go through hard times in the future.
If a friend has it in the back of their mind that you’re there, then they may be more willing to confide in you. No one should have to go through something hard alone. That’s why communicating that they can always talk to you can make a difference in their life.
5. Go on a Trip Together
If you and your friend are adventurous, why not travel somewhere new together? Your trip could be local, or it could be jet-setting to a new country!
If you have the travel itch, your friend may want to go somewhere new as well. First, ask an adventurous friend if they’d be up for solving their wanderlust with you. Then, you can brainstorm and come up with the perfect destination for you both.
And if you have a friend who doesn’t necessarily like to travel, think of something local to do. There are all sorts of new activities you can do together!
Wherever you go, you’re bound to have an incredible time to bolster the friendships with your buddies!
6. Swap Hobbies for a Week
A great way to connect with a friend better is by swapping hobbies for a week. Switching a hobby can help you learn more about them and vice-versa.
So, if they love to read, dive into a book for a week. You may find you missed reading and, later, you can tell your friend all about the book!
Meanwhile, your friend may be going on bike rides during their week since you love to ride. If they haven’t ridden a bike in a while, they may find that it’s a great stress reducer.
After the week is over, you may decide to swap to another hobby. Doing this will generate deep conversations and introduce new hobbies that you love!
7. Get to Know Their Family Members
There’s a lot you can learn about a person through their family members. Depending on family dynamics, usually, a person is most like themselves around family.
You or a friend may be up for inviting one another to a family get-together. Going together can help you learn more about the other person. And, if the family is a little over the top, you can be a good buffer.
Side note: If a friend doesn’t have any family, see if you can spend time with the people they consider family!
Conclusion
We need friendships more than ever with everything going on in the world. But, keeping friendships alive requires effort. So, don’t forget about the friends who have your back.
Make sure you have their back as well and invest in your friendships. For a friendship to grow, it takes work. But it’s time well spent when you get to have a friend for life!