Every one of us has a friendship. There are associates, families, coworkers, neighbours, and friends in our lives. However, many of these partnerships are unfulfilling for a significant percentage of us.
They are unsatisfactory because they lack real strength, and real strength is a result of a lack of real depth.
Unfortunately, we prefer to have shallow, superficial relationships with others in today’s culture, and it’s incredibly difficult for these types of relationships to have anything more than a sliver of fulfilment.
I’d like to show you how you can give your relationships a lot more depth, and therefore power, and make your social life a lot more meaningful.
Here are five basic but effective ways to create meaningful relationships:
1. Socialize More
This may seem to be a contradiction, but the number of people you encounter has a significant impact on the nature of the people you meet.
Given the diversity of people out there, if you don’t know many people and only meet one or two new people every season of the year, you won’t meet many people who are a good match for you in terms of personality, interests, and values.
And, since this natural match is so important in developing good relationships, you’ll only have the chance to do so on rare occasions.
Conversely, if you go out a lot, meeting a ton of people, and keep expanding your social network, you’re much more likely to meet people you click with, and these people have a lot of potential to become good friends, partners, and so on.
This is why it is important to reach as many people as possible.
2. Speak About Things That Matter To You
When two people learn they have similar beliefs and desires, their relationship becomes stronger. The strongest emotional bond is formed by these commonalities in beliefs and interests.
Many people, I’ve found, keep their interactions brief. They discuss trivial matters like the weather, whatever’s on TV, and the lives of different movie stars, but they rarely discuss what matters most to them in life. This, in my opinion, is a failure because it is the ideal way for a relationship not to grow.
Let people know what you care about and what you believe in by talking about the things that really matter to you. If they share your beliefs and are concerned about the same issues, they will eagerly inform you. As a result, you’ll discover concrete common ground and feel more linked.
3. Be Vulnerable
Many people strive to be flawless. They don’t talk about their mistakes, they mask their flaws, and they never say something that could make them look bad.
Much of this, though, is a ruse. You may seem great to some, but you and they both know you’re not perfect. You’re just a person, after all, and everybody has weaknesses.
However, by concealing your shortcomings, you achieve the appearance of being forced and unnatural. You have the appearance of a marble statue rather than a living human. This makes it difficult for others to emotionally interact with you.
Humans form bonds with one another, not with ideals. Keep this in mind, and don’t be afraid to display your humanity and weakness. This is what elevates a friendship to new heights.
4. Integrity Is Important
Integrity, in my opinion, is the balance between your emotions, sentences, and deeds. You have dignity when you say what you mean and do what you say you’ll do.
This is an important characteristic because people will trust you if you have honesty. They can trust you to give them truthful feedback, even if it’s difficult to give shallow, and to keep your word.
In both your personal and professional life, confidence is one of the most important pillars of a strong relationship. So, as difficult as it may be at times, always strive for honesty.
Be open and truthful with those around you, even if it hurts them at first. It’s more crucial for them to have faith in you than it is for them not to be hurt. Often, please follow through with your promises. Even better, think twice before making any promises, and just say what you can and are able to do.
5. Be There for Others
Support is another important aspect of healthy relationships. People’s bonds become stronger when they can rely on each other for help when they need it, whether that help comes in the form of a few kind words or a series of large acts.
Of course, you can’t always be there for everybody. You have a finite amount of time, energy, and other resources. But you should recognise the most important people in your life and make an effort to be there for them as much as possible.
Your encouragement would benefit them both practically and emotionally, which can make a huge difference in a relationship.
The Bottom Line
You will improve a wide variety of relationships in your life and advance them as far as they can be progressed with the right attitude and actions.
And good relationships make you feel not only more fulfilled, but much more connected to the rest of the world. You have more fun and live in the moment because you believe your life has real meaning. A whole new universe of possibilities appears in front of you.
After that, all you have to do is step through the open gate.