7 Tips on How to Make Great Friends

A friend is one to whom one may pour out all the contents of one’s heart, chaff and grain together, knowing that the gentlest of hands will take and sift it, keep what is worth keeping and with a breath of kindness blow the rest away. ~Arabian Proverb

Being friends is about sharing our lives with others. I have had enough bumps in the road in my life that “fair weather friends” have come and gone; people who I thought were my friends disappeared when I had no money, my house was taken and my identity stolen. What I learned from that difficult time is that you can miss out on real friendships if you just focus on success.

It’s not what we do that attracts friends, it’s how we think.  1. Focus on the good in people. 2. Smile often no matter how you connect with others, face-to-face, Skype, or phone, remember to smile. 3. Let go of grudges which are negative thoughts that corrode and harden your heart. 4. Be  motivational to others, listen actively and encourage. 5. Be helpful- a key to creating lasting friendships is to think about what you can do for friends,what do they need? 6. Be kind.; 7. Be grateful- Everyone loves being valued.

“ How may I help you ?” is one of my most practiced questions. It is effective when speaking to a patient in a clinical setting. It can diffuse a heated situation when there is no apparent resolution and it opens doors to shy adolescents and children.