Building Friendships: Being Kind and Creating Shared Rituals

The Fundamental Importance of Friendship

Our friends truly matter, as they provide us with valuable companionship and a deep sense of importance and belonging in our lives.

Friendships help us boost our confidence and self-esteem, and they also support us through traumas and various rough patches in life.

Having good friends makes a huge difference to our overall sense of well-being, as well as the happiness we experience in our daily lives.

The bonds of friendship act as a protective shield that strengthens us, making us more resilient in the face of the inevitable difficulties and challenges that arise.

For this reason, investing time and energy into building and maintaining quality friendships is one of the most important actions for our mental and emotional health.

The Power of Kindness and Presence

One of the simplest and most effective ways to make friends is to be a good person friendly, as people are drawn to kindness.

Being kind includes such important actions as looking people in the eye, calling them by name, and being fully present with them without any distractions.

We should be present both mentally and physically with the person in front of us, showing with our attention that we value their company and what they say.

People enjoy the company of those who are friendly because they like the way kindness makes them feel at that moment.

Acceptance as an Act of Friendship

Another way to build a strong friendship is through accepting people for who they truly are, without trying to change or mold them.

It is not our job or responsibility to try to turn our friends into the person we think they should be, as that is not friendship.

The goal of true friendship is to enjoy each other's company, rather than constantly thinking that we have to change our friends to improve.

This unconditional acceptance creates a safe space where the other person feels free to be themselves, which strengthens the bond in a profound way.

Creating Shared Rituals