7.1.5 Your Relationship in Friendship

“You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.” 

– Dale Carnegie

In building and maintaining friendly and healthy relationships some of the following will grow and strengthen them …

• When getting to know each other better it is important to share about yourself in order to strengthen the friendship.
• Don’t make assumptions about your friends … they are always growing, as are you … and where possible, check out the assumptions.
• Spend quality time together as you come to know and care for each other. 
• Building trust … It is the foundation of any relationship … and it takes time to create trust but only a second to break it.  Always follow through on what you commit to.
• Find things you have in common and that you both love to share.
• Support your friends, particularly when they are in need.
• Clear communication is important in a healthy relationship.  If something is bothering you, talk about it rather than holding it in.
• Respect each other. 
• Compromise.  Be willing to meet each other halfway.

Healthy Relationships Are also Important. to our mental and emotional wellbeing, and even to our survival.  (Read the article “The Primacy of Human Touch).

“In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.”  

– Albert Schweitzer