Making & Keeping Friends

Tips for Making & Keeping Friends

1. Be Accepting. Not everyone talks, looks, and acts like you do. (How boring if they did!)
2. Be a Good Listener. Look at people when they're talking to you and genuinely pay attention to what they are saying.
3. Don't Just Talk About Your Problems. Include friends in the good times too!
4. Do Your Share of the Work. Any relationship takes effort. Don't always depend on your plans to make the plans and carry the weight.
5. Don't be a Show Off. Your abilities and interests are unique, but that doesn't mean you have to rub it in.
6. Be Honest. Tell the truth about yourself and your beliefs. When asked for your opinion, be sincere. But...temper your honesty with diplomacy. The truth doesn't have to hurt. Sometimes frankness is inappropriate and unnecessary.
7. Reach Out if Someone is Being Left Out. Don't always wait for someone else to make the first move. A simple "hi" and a smile go a long way.
8. Let Others Know You're Interested in Them. Don't just talk about yourself, ask questions about others.
9. Learn to Recognize the Friends You Can Live Without. Don't put up with friends who aren't really friends at all.