Five Ways to Nurture Friendships People are sometimes meant to come and go from our lives, staying around for only a short period of time. But other friends do have the potential to be long-term, and grow with you as your life changes. One way to keep friendships of any level strong is to actively nurture them. Some friendships come easily and nurturing them is not hard to do. Others, however, require more thought and action. That's okay. Putting effort into a friendship doesn't mean the friend is not right for you, it simply means that your friendship is different and you need to work to keep it strong.Send Handwritten Notes With all the electronic communication going on these days (Facebook, email, Twitter, texting), a handwritten note can really make an impression. First, you just don't see them as much these days so it will really stand out in your friend's mailbox. Second, just knowing you took the time to find a note card, write something by hand, and then mail it shows how much thought went into it.Be Proactive in Contacting Friends When people are busy, they can get in the habit of calling up friends only when they need something. The problem with this is it makes it look as if you don't really care about your friend, and instead just want to be with them when it suits you. There is nothing wrong with asking a friend for a favor, but make sure you are actively nurturing your friendship first. Call up people to see how they are doing, send an email, or just write on their Facebook wall. Regularly check in with your friends so they know you are sincere.Give Meaningful Gifts Put some thought into the gifts you give a friend. Presents don't have to be large or expensive to nurture your friendship. In fact, often the smallest but most thoughtful ones are the biggest hit. Pay attention to the details of their life to find something they will really appreciate. Some ideas include:Items that spark a memory for the two of you, such as tickets to an event, a funny book, or gift certificates to a favorite restaurant.Homemade gifts are great if you are giving something your friend really wants. If you're handy, knit or crochet a handmade scarf, make a memory journal or scrapbook, or sew some pillows for their apartment.Talk Things Out People who argue from time to time actually have healthier friendships than those who never discuss their points of conflict. Learn how to argue in a healthy way and work through the issues in your friendship. Doing this means that you and your pal value your relationship.By contrast, if you remain silent and let things build, resentment will begin to take over your relationship. Why let a good friendship die just because of a little conflict? Discuss your issues with the goal of making your relationship that much better. Task 1 Decide whether the following statements are true (T) OR false (F) according to the passage.□1. Some friends will stay around you for a short time while others will be long-term friends. □2. In order to keep friendships strong is to actively nurture them.□3. It is a good way to communicate with your friends with electronic ways rather than handwritten notes.□4. If you call up friends only when you need something, then you will be considered not caring about your friends.□5. If you remain silent and let things build, resentment will begin to take over your relationship.
Five Ways to Nurture Friendships People are sometimes meant to come and go from our lives, staying around for only a short period of time. But other friends do have the potential to be long-term, and grow with you as your life changes. One way to keep friendships of any level strong is to actively nurture them. Some friendships come easily and nurturing them is not hard to do. Others, however, require more thought and action. That's okay. Putting effort into a friendship doesn't mean the friend is not right for you, it simply means that your friendship is different and you need to work to keep it strong.Send Handwritten Notes With all the electronic communication going on these days (Facebook, email, Twitter, texting), a handwritten note can really make an impression. First, you just don't see them as much these days so it will really stand out in your friend's mailbox. Second, just knowing you took the time to find a note card, write something by hand, and then mail it shows how much thought went into it.Be Proactive in Contacting Friends When people are busy, they can get in the habit of calling up friends only when they need something. The problem with this is it makes it look as if you don't really care about your friend, and instead just want to be with them when it suits you. There is nothing wrong with asking a friend for a favor, but make sure you are actively nurturing your friendship first. Call up people to see how they are doing, send an email, or just write on their Facebook wall. Regularly check in with your friends so they know you are sincere.Give Meaningful Gifts Put some thought into the gifts you give a friend. Presents don't have to be large or expensive to nurture your friendship. In fact, often the smallest but most thoughtful ones are the biggest hit. Pay attention to the details of their life to find something they will really appreciate. Some ideas include:Items that spark a memory for the two of you, such as tickets to an event, a funny book, or gift certificates to a favorite restaurant.Homemade gifts are great if you are giving something your friend really wants. If you're handy, knit or crochet a handmade scarf, make a memory journal or scrapbook, or sew some pillows for their apartment.Talk Things Out People who argue from time to time actually have healthier friendships than those who never discuss their points of conflict. Learn how to argue in a healthy way and work through the issues in your friendship. Doing this means that you and your pal value your relationship.By contrast, if you remain silent and let things build, resentment will begin to take over your relationship. Why let a good friendship die just because of a little conflict? Discuss your issues with the goal of making your relationship that much better. Task 1 Decide whether the following statements are true (T) OR false (F) according to the passage.□1. Some friends will stay around you for a short time while others will be long-term friends. □2. In order to keep friendships strong is to actively nurture them.□3. It is a good way to communicate with your friends with electronic ways rather than handwritten notes.□4. If you call up friends only when you need something, then you will be considered not caring about your friends.□5. If you remain silent and let things build, resentment will begin to take over your relationship.
