New friends appear to keep you young. If you have not had 3-4 NEW friends in the last year, ask yourself have you ever been:
1. SELF-INVOLVED: Boring, Overbearing or uninterested in others.
2. OUT OF BALANCE: Are you a loner/workaholic/others not willing to learn more abt you?
3. INACTIVE: Cultivating and maintaining friendships takes a lot of work not on your side.
4. NOT ENOUGH TIME: How will you enjoy life to the fullest without finding the time?
5. FLUSTERED: How can i managed my time?
Here's a piece of good news! now you can improve the QUALITY and QUANTITY of your friendships >:)
1. Put your friends IN YOUR CALENDAR: Set aside time to spend with your friends (ofcourse, note that you should not neglect your family members as well! you should have a family day every week!) Not with the usual group of friends that you always see though, make an effort to meet up with the old ones? You can spend time with them physically or by telephone and chatting on the msn. (if you need someone to talk to, feel free to flood me with your msges kay? i've got unlimited msges, no link right? i know! HAHA) Make the time with them IMPORTANT. Do not always cancel at the last minute. If you have to miss it, be honest and tell the true reason :)
2. Try taking the INITIATIVE: Having accquaintances as friends can be easy. If you have an extra ticket, offer it to your acquaintance! Go to the movies, mall or just for a ride! start off as acquaintance before you proceed on to 'grow' your friendship.
3. Get use to LISTENING: Do not just pour out your troubles without reciprocating. You ought to listen to their problems too! :D A good friend is one who listens and speaks at the RIGHT TIME. You do not want a friend that's too obsessed with speaking about their own problems the entire day, dont you? :D
4. Be true to your friends: Now, you dont want your friends to see you as a hypocrite and gossiping behind their backs :) be nice to people around you and you'll receive the same treatment back. This is the art of true friendship. True friends never 'attack' each other.
REMEMBER: Try not to bring your personal problems with you. We all have problems throughout our lives. We need to control our troubles. A relationship grows people who are able to express their problems and get help and support.
5. Attempt HARMONY: Friends need to open up and let each other know who they really are. (do not wear a facade ya!) Friendship does not mean you and your friend has to be 100% same. When a friend is in need, all they have to do is to ask for help. We do not have all the answers, but we can be a good source of companion by being by their side and attending to their needs & problems.
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Dear fellow lambs, i do hope that we can all improve the friendships among our own ministry first before we proceed to go all out and make people feel loved! Awesome-ness starts with YOU. Do your part today, try to understand and get to know your fellow hospi members well enough so that the friendship between you and them are not just merely a friendship, but one that will LAST!
IT'S GONNA BE AWESOME-PAWSOME WITH YOUR PRESENCE. <3
With Love,
Cheryl Phoebe Liew.
(Little Lamb, HAHA)
