10 Ways To Make Friendships That Last A Life Time
In this day in age, making life long friends may feel like a hassle. Friendships are hard at times, and the ability to connect without judgment is something we are all looking for. Here are 10 ways to make friendships that last a lifetime.
1. Be a friend
I’m sure you have heard of the phrase “to have a friend, be a friend”. Although that is completely overused, it is by far the best phrase that is 100% true. There is no way of having any friends if you aren’t going to be one in the first place.
So what does it actually mean to be a friend? Think of a friend as a family member, you would do anything for them right (or maybe not depending on how good of a family member you are)? Then the same goes for your bestie. You need to spend time with them, listen to them, understand them. Get to know who they truly are and respect them in every way. If you can do this, then before you know it your friend will stay with you for a lifetime.
2. Remember what your friends say
Friendships are all about remembering what the other person tells you. You need to really listen to your friends so that you can remember what they like, don’t like, love, etc. If you know who they are, they will love you for caring to take the time to learn about them. Remembering their birthday, favorite holiday, a favorite stuffed animal that they still sleep with TILL THIS DAY. It doesn’t matter what they tell you, but remembering who they are will bring beauty into your relationship forever.
3. Love the crazy
The greatest friendships are the ones where you can take off the makeup, throw your hair up into a messy bun, and sing your guy’s favorite pop hit. It’s the friendships that make you make you laugh so hard you wonder if your stomach will ever recover. These are the kinds of relationships that make us feel alive and without them, life wouldn’t get as amazing.
Be that friend that goes out of their way to make the other enjoy life to it’s fullest. Have fun in every way, and accept your friends in their purest form. Who they are, is what you are going to always get so you better like it! Love them for them, and they will always love you.
4. Gifts
Gifts come in all different forms, but if there is one thing that everyone loves that would be a thoughtful gift from someone they care about. Buying your bestie a gift doesn’t mean you need to spend a fortune. You can buy literally anything, but giving them something that resembles them will bring sentimental value to the friendship. It means that you were thinking about them and found something that would be perfect for who they are. People cherish these moments very much.
5. Photos
If you are going to make memories with your friends, the best thing to do would be to take a picture to forever remember the moment. Making memories is what friendships are all about, but to also capture the moment will be something they could never forget. Using these photos to remind them of these fun times you two had will become a treasure forever. It’s a great way to reminisce about the good old times by making those photos into gifts. For example, making a phone case with all of the photos of the two of you will definitely bring so much joy!
6. Be vulnerable
It’s scary to be vulnerable with people, but it’s what makes a friendship extremely strong. Sometimes it feels like no one may understand what you are going through. You may even feel that expressing how you feel to your friends will make them think of you as weak. True friends will raise you up when you are vulnerable to them. They will encourage you to be happy and to live in a state of mind where there is hope. Friendships that don’t respect how you feel, ARE NOT FRIENDS. Build your relationships on trust and love and vulnerability.
7. Be honest
Honesty is the best policy, especially for life long friendships. Always tell the truth to your friends because no matter what they will always find out if you aren’t. Building trust in one another will guarantee a certain level of loyalty. A lot of us don’t want to be honest because we are afraid we will hurt the other person’s feelings but wouldn’t you want the other person to be honest with you? I know I would.
8. Respect who they date.
Dating is a touchy subject, but an important one. There will be times where we don’t like the person our best friend is dating. WE JUST WON’T. If you want your friendship to end right away, then go ahead and tell them that you don’t like who they are dating. So my advice is to stay away from the ins and outs of their relationship. You are not apart of their relationship, so stay out of it. Our friends have to learn their own lessons but on their OWN. If their boyfriend isn’t that great to your friend, they will figure it out. Give them time and shut your mouth!
9. Be there for them during their darkest times
Everyone has dark days. If you can be there for your friends when they are in their lowest periods of time, then your friendship will grow. The most painful experience in life is when you feel you have no one. Being that friend that will listen to their friend that is there for them in the highlights of their life and the lowest points, will help them realize how amazing a friend you truly are.
10. Stick up for one another
True friendships are all about sticking up for one another. People will always have something to say and sometimes it will be about someone you care about, such as our friendships. Sticking up for the people you care about, will show your friend that you have their back no matter what. No one wants a friend that is maybe there for you at the moment but talks nothing but nonsense behind your back. Be there for 100% of the time, no matter if you are with them or without them.
