Making friends does not always come easy especially when you feel different than others or worried about being ignored or rejected. Do not be worried. Differences are the foundation of a great friendship.

Friendship is one of life’s most rewarding experiences. You learn, grow trust, and become more dependable and physically and mentally healthier. Friendship is a mental bond with another person. Similar interests or beliefs may draw you together. Development of mutual respect will strengthen the bond.

Friendship makes you happier. If you are happier, you are healthier and stronger. People with a single close friendship statistically live longer rewarding lives. Your inner character thrives on friends. Friends boost your self-confidence. You become more optimistic about how the world can be, and your place in it. Making new friends can sometimes seem difficult and scary. What if someone does not trust you or is not ready to be your friend? Friendships are about trust, respect, acceptance, and appreciation. These things take time to develop.

Those with a single close friendship, statistically live longer rewarding lives.

Self-reflection about how you can show friends respect, trust, and appreciation will help you earn them. The golden rule says treat others as you expect to be treated. Treat others as you would treat yourself. The Bible has been passed down for thousands of years. It defines the foundation of friendship.

You do not want to be lied to.

You do not want to be taken for granted.

You do not want to be taken advantage of.

Be the kind of person you want to be with.

You do want trust and fairness.

There are behaviors that you will not do; or will not try. Things you do not like or make you uncomfortable. So, do not do them. There may be people you meet who cross these boundaries. These people may not make good friends.

Follow your moral compass to build friendships. Boundaries are important. It takes time to develop trust and get to know someone’s boundaries and convey yours. For example, others may not want to be with you at first simply because you appear different or talk funny. You do not know what boundaries people have. Take your time to find out. You want your friends to respect your boundaries. You need to respect their boundaries as well. Recall the friends you already have. How did you meet? Why are you still friends? If you think you do not have many friends think about your relatives: Mom, Dad, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Nephews. Family are your friends because you have common interests and similar backgrounds.

Families do things together. You may have differing opinions on a litany of subjects than your family does. You may occasionally argue; however, there exists a bond of friendship because you experienced things together. You have fond memories of the yearly trip to the beach for example. You make it work; you get over your differences.

You have shared experiences and allow differences in opinions and behaviors.

Shared activities like work, sports, hobbies, clubs present opportunities to meet new people who may become friends.

People often become angry with a friend. They may be friends one day and dissatisfied the next. That is OK. People grow and change. The longest friendships are with people who grow and change together.

It is important to practice acceptance.

You frequently see examples of friends making mistakes. You want to avoid hurtful people. Accepting differences makes life interesting. Perhaps you recently moved or started a new job or school. You may not have many friends or think it is too hard to make a friend. You have had a number of friends. Make some more, you can never have too many. You know people that you have spoken to occasionally. Some say hello. Acknowledge their greeting. those who greet you back may not be friends yet. You do not know them well, but they are still friends. You just do not know them as well as your family. It is up to you to get to know them better. Stop to say hello. Try having a conversation the next time you meet. They could just turn into good friends. When looking for people to be friends you sometimes look for similar people which makes sense because similarity helps you feel safer and more accepted, you are in your comfort zone. You may not realize that even if you find somebody you think is just like you, they will eventually surprise you with how different they are. These differences make friendship special. Friends inspire you to try new things.

Recognize that we have different personalities.

People get frustrated. People have tremendous patience. Frustration may become evident quickly and be obvious to you. Patience is a virtue. Optimism is a virtue. Never give up on finding friendship.

Friendships grow, change, and evolve into lasting relationships. This is the natural order of evolution. Ultimately rewarding everyone. Not every friendship is the same. Not every friend is a close friend.

Realize that there are things with which you cannot always agree.

Accept differences. Try to understand. Friendships are not always easy. Expect disagreement. You are not telepathically linked. You have not seen anything from the point of view of another. There will always be things you and your friend disagree with. How else would you know that you might be crossing a boundary?

Friendships are negotiations. Both people bring to the table their point of view. If you agree then OK. If we disagree: also, OK. We both bring things to the relationship to make it work.

Agree to disagree. Think of friends who vote differently from you. Your friendship is strong and capable of accepting trivialities.

Stay calm and talk it out. Understanding how someone feels and why gives your mind flexibility. It is an opportunity. Tell your friend you are upset. Give them a chance to understand why and apologize. Acknowledge your mistakes and apologize if you are the one who said the wrong thing or hurt your friend. Own your mistakes, apologize quickly. Turn this uncomfortable moment into understanding, acceptance, and trust.

Do not make excuses, give your friend time to reflect. Turn an awkward moment into trust, acceptance and understanding.

True lasting friends inspire mutual respect and acceptance. If a “friend” does not respect your boundaries or you do not respect theirs, then it is not a healthy relationship. Healthy friendships are reliant on the understanding and acceptance of individual beliefs and personalities. You want to spend time with a friend, taking pleasure and gaining satisfaction from their uniqueness.

You have friends that you talk to regularly and you understand their individual beliefs and personalities. These differences provide valuable insight to make strong and lasting friendships. This is what makes you and your friend good friends. you become a better you. It takes more than one to reach out and trust. It is not easy but growth in power from teamwork and sharing will transform you and your friends. It can be difficult. practice acceptance and forgive the mistakes. Own your own mistakes. You may need to walk away. Not everyone has the skills to be understanding and open to your point of view. Remember that people may need more time to be ready to be friends. Take your time. Be who you are.

Strong friendships bind groups and communities which feeds growth and prosperity. Growth and community are qualities that benefit friendships. Friendships bring people together to settle disputes because friendships are built on trust. Acceptance, shared goals, and character contribute to the quality of your life. Friends make you a better person and make you stronger and confident. Make eye contact with people you meet. If they look away do not take it personally. Show that you could be a good friend. Do you like their smile or what they are wearing, or what they have with them? Do you like the way they laugh? Appreciate something you have noticed. Introduce yourself_! Recall your childhood. Making friends was a natural behavior that adults have let atrophy.