How to Become Better Friends With Someone

Friendships have different stages and develop at different paces. Sometimes people hit it off and become best friends almost right away, and sometimes they remain casual friends for a long time. Generally, it takes some time for people to bond, become closer and start trusting each other, and the pace at which they bond depends on many factors, some of which are beyond their control. However, you can try to speed things up a bit. So, how to become better friends with someone?

Tip #1. Become a friend you'd like to have. If you want to become closer with someone, you need to become a better friend. Being friends is more than just hanging out together. You should learn to listen to your friend, be supportive, know when agree to disagree, be there for them when they need you, avoid jealousy, be able to apologize when you're are wrong. Basically, being a good friend means treating the other person as you would like them to treat you.

Tip #2. Initiate communication. If you want to bond with someone, you need to take initiative. Making more effort than the other person might seem unfair, but many friendships are one-sided in the beginning. As you become closer, things will even out. After all, it's you who wants to bond, not they (yet). Don't be shy to call or text them and initiate meetings.

Tip #3. Spend more time together and try different activities. You won't become close friends if you only meet casually and do the same things all the time. You need to try new things in order to get to know each other better and see what you enjoy doing together.

Tip #4. Talk. To become better friends, you need to learn things about each other. Ask your friend questions and share things about yourself. You need to open up in order to star trusting one another. However, you should be careful. Uncomfortable questions or/and oversharing may negate all your effort.

Tip #5. Give them space. Respect their boundaries and don't push. Spending too much time with someone can be overwhelming, so they might need space and time for themselves. You should know when to step back and let things happen naturally.

Tip #6. Remember that there are things you can't control. Not everyone you like is going to become your close friend right away (or at all). Sometimes you need much time to become closer, sometimes you get along quite well but there is no spark, sometimes you're just not compatible. Every situation is unique. Sometimes the best option is to just go with the flow.