Talking is the most important part of a friendship.Talking helps you connect with your friends, learn more about each other, and build trust.Ask your friend about themselves if you're having a friendly conversation.Offer your support and help if you are talking about something serious.Let your friend know that you are there for them when you practice active listening.
Step 1: Say hello.
Nodding, smiling, and waving at your friends are all friendly gestures, but they don't start conversations.It's a good idea to say hello to a friend when you see them in the hall or around the neighborhood.Follow up with them by asking how they are doing.It shows you care about them as a friend if you express a sincere interest in them.
Step 2: Personal details can be recalled in a conversation.
Think about the things your friend has said before.Did their favorite band just release a new album?They were out of state visiting their parents.You can show your friend that you hear them when they speak by remembering these details.Say something like, "How was your vacation in Aruba?" if your friend recently returned from traveling.I would like to hear all about it.
Step 3: The conversation should be equal between the speakers.
Asking someone else to do all the talking can be intimidating.Try to keep things the same.Give your friend a chance to respond after you make a point.Try to give more than one answer when they ask you something.Ask for clarification if you don't know anything.For example, if your friend asks you about a movie that you haven't seen, follow up with, "It looks interesting, though."Let me know more about it.
Step 4: It's important to balance how much personal information you give out.
Don't share too much at once.It takes a long time to build a friendship because of mutual trust.Share a little bit more about yourself when you talk.You don't want to get involved in your relationship's problems right away.As the friendship grows stronger, share more personal information and start with less personal topics.You have to balance what your friend is willing to share with what you share.If you really want to talk about personal secrets but they're only comfortable talking about their cat, respect that and wait to reveal your secret until you've built more trust.If a friend is sharing more than you are comfortable with, let them know, "I don't know if I'm the right person to speak to about this."
Step 5: The posture should be open and welcoming.
Friendly communication is more than just what you say.Keep your body language friendly by leaning forward, keeping your shoulders open, and looking at your friend directly in the eye.You are open and receptive to a conversation.Don't lean forward so much that you violate your friend's personal space.To show your interest, lean forward a little bit, not so much that you make them uncomfortable.
Step 6: Let your friend know they are not alone.
You can still support your friend if you don't understand what they're going through.You can help them if they need it and they can be reassured that they are not alone.Sharing a story about a time when you asked for help can be helpful.It is a good idea to let your friend know that difficult times happen to everyone.
Step 7: Questions can be open-ended.
Asking the right question will help you understand what your friend is going through and will make them feel better.Keep the questions open-ended to encourage your friend to talk about what they are thinking and feeling.Questions like, "How are you feeling right now?" give your friend more time to express their feelings.
Step 8: Don't judge them.
It can be difficult for a friend to reach out if they are not proud of what they have done.Listen without judgement.You don't have to agree with what they're saying, but remember that everyone makes mistakes.Understand that your friend has flaws just like everyone else.Don't blame problems.Don't tell your friend they're a bad student if they cheated on a test.The subject of math can be difficult.We should do our homework together so I can tutor you.
Step 9: Help them ask for help.
Offer to help your friend get through a difficult time.It can be difficult to ask for help on your own.Offer to help them with their research.It is okay to get help for hard times, and this lets them know that they are not alone.If your friend is struggling with depression, they might be hesitant to talk to a therapist.If you want to help patients with depression, look up a few therapists in your area.
Step 10: If your friend doesn't want to talk, support them.
It can be hard for a friend who is in pain to talk about their feelings.It feels like you can not help them if they don't open up.In these situations, the best thing to do is to let your friends have their space.Let them know that.If you don't want to talk, I'm not going to push you.If you need someone to listen to you, just know that I am here for you.They don't know how they feel about a situation.They may be trying to move on.They might not be comfortable talking about the situation.It is not a good idea to take it personally.You just have to respect them.
Step 11: Practice listening.
You can use active listening to show your friend that you are interested in what they are saying.It is based on maintaining open body language, avoiding giving advice, and expressing an interest in what your friend is saying.Say something to your friend whenever they say it.You are paying attention to what they are saying.Express your feelings.In active listening, empathy is very important.If your friend has negative feelings towards you or someone else, you should not question them.Listen to your friend if they are stressed out by their job.Then, say something like "What I hear is that you feel really stressed right now and I understand how a workload like that can lead to stress."
Step 12: Do not interrupt your friend.
You may have a question when your friend is talking.It is important to not interrupt your friend while they are talking.They know you respect what they have to say.If you want to address something but your friend is still talking, make a note to yourself.You could write down a few words on a piece of paper to remind you of what you said.