You’ve Got a Friend in Me
By: Kaleigh Nobbe, NCC
Happy International Friendship Day!
Friendships are hard work, especially when we are first starting that new relationship – it can feel like we are putting in so much effort with little reward. However, that is, dare I say it, “normal.” Here are some tips that may help us navigate and keep building our friendships:
- Recognize your strengths
- Every person has roles they play in relationships, and it can sometimes feel like one person is putting in more effort than another. It is important to recognize where strengths are in relationships. Maybe you are the person who feels you’re always the one calling or planning. Perhaps you feel like you’re the one always hosting. Whatever the case may be, it’s possible you have that role for a reason, be it your punctuality, forethought, or personality. When we are mindful of our strengths, we can start using them to really build our relationships and communicate what we need from others.
- Build Trust
- Close friendships rarely occur in just one meeting. It takes time and understanding to create an unbreakable bond and unconditional love. By respecting the boundaries of others and creating appropriate boundaries that you uphold for yourself, we can lay a foundation based on consistent accountability and judgment-free generosity. Trust is a crucial part of relationships that catapult a friendship into safety.
To learn more about the work that goes into maintaining friendships, check out this blog.
Consider joining one of our weekend groups to learn more about how you can have effective interpersonal interactions that could lead you on the path to healthy friendships.
Groups meet every Saturday:
10am Breakfast Club ages 14-18
11am Stronger Together ages 18+
12pm Weekend Warriors ages 11-13
For more information on how we can help you establish and maintain healthy relationships,
call Owens & Associates at 847-854-4333 for a free 15-minute consultation.