Keeping old friends : 4 useful tips
They say it takes years to build a
friendship but it may take only a split second to destroy a friendship. So here
are a few ways on how to maintain your old friendship.
Firstly, make a decision about which of
your friends are short lived and which would last a lifetime. Keep in touch with your lifelong friends.
Call them once a month or twice a month. Remember the special dates in their
lives like birthdays or major anniversaries. There is no such thing as not
being able to find time for your friends. If you don’t have time, create time
for them.
Remember to be a good listener. Listen to
their problems and give them advice when needed. Display your understanding in
a non-judgmental way. If all they need is a shoulder to cry on, then offer
them yours. Celebrate their success with them and be there for them during a
hardship. You shouldn’t be a fair weather friend.
Plan activities at least once a month like
a dinner so you all could catch up. Go for the occasional movie together or
have some sport activities together. Or you could also organize sporting
activities that will involve your friends like a game of basketball or tennis
every Tuesday night. Even better, you could get both of your families to have
dinners together. Get your spouse involved too. Make them a family friend! This
ensures that you are always in each other’s lives.
You also need to be willing to help your
friends in times of trouble. Think about it this way, if you were in the same
situation, you would hope that your friend would do the same for you too.
Most importantly, try as hard as you can to
keep in touch with them. They have been there with you for your whole life. So
appreciate the friends you have now because good friends are difficult to find.
