Small habits that are quick and easy to implement can make you a better friend. Here are three to test to gain fluidity in your friendships.
In the book Superman by Habit, dedicated to creating and maintaining new positive habits, Tynan, an American blogger specializing in personal development, offers a whole series of good habits to become a better version of yourself, little by little . These habits concern health as well as productivity and life balance. If you’re one of those people whose daily life is about friendship, adopting the following five habits should be of interest to you!
Good, effective advice, which is above all a good habit to get into: every time you log on to Facebook or any other social network of your liking, send a message to someone you haven’t contacted for a moment. This little attention will only take you a few minutes and will show that you are an attentive and considerate friend. Don’t be afraid to put some vigor back into a relationship that has become strained!
Empathy is a quality that allows you to see your fellow human beings differently. The author of the aforementioned book thus advises, whenever one is tempted to reproach or criticize someone, to force oneself to think instead: “Remember that this person is doing his better to try to be happy and have a good day, like you.” A technique to apply first with loved ones and therefore friends to establish better long-term relationships.
It’s also a good way to not overreact: wait a few hours before responding to a message that you find harsh or unpleasant. You will be more serene to then respond calmly without feeling any regrets. Sometimes you will even forget it.
Being punctual is not such a complicated habit to establish. All you have to do is leave a little early and be aware that we often tend to overestimate the time we have. So you can tell yourself, for example, that you leave your home at 5 p.m. for an effective departure time of 5:15 p.m., or even give yourself a longer preparation time to avoid the unexpected and the very unpleasant feeling of keeping your friends waiting . Punctuality is indeed a sign of respect that can only strengthen your relationship.
How about browsing your entire repertoire? Make a habit: for each friend you haven’t contacted in a long time, delete the contact or contact the person (message, call). This will allow you to sort it out. If this exercise is difficult for you, you may be missing a filter criterion. You can then ask yourself “Would I like to go out to dinner with this person?” If you don’t feel like it, delete this contact without guilt. Doing so will improve your relationships with the people who really matter to you because you will free up valuable time for them. It will also be easier for you to identify them in a clean directory.
