How can I feed my friendships?

Making and keeping friends involves give-and-take. Sometimes you're the one giving support. Other times you're getting it. Letting friends know that you care about them can help strengthen your bond. It's as important for you to be a good friend as it is to have good friends.

To nurture your friendships:

• Be kind. Kindness is at the core of good friendships. Think of friendship as an emotional bank account. Every act of kindness is a deposit into this account. Being unkind takes away from it.
• Be a good listener. Ask what's going on in your friends' lives. Let others know you hear them. When friends share details of hard times, let them know you get how they feel. Don't give advice unless your friends ask for it.
• Open up. Build closeness with your friends by opening up about yourself. Being willing to share your feelings and concerns shows that your friend is special to you.
• Show that you can be trusted. Let your friends know that they can rely on you. Show up on time. Do what you say you'll do. Keep what your friends tell you in private to yourself.
• Make an effort. Building a close friendship takes time together. Try to see new friends often. Check in with them in between meet ups. You may feel odd the first few times you talk on the phone or get together. But this feeling gets easier as you get more comfortable with each other.

Remember, it's never too late to make new friendships or reconnect with old friends. Putting time into making and keeping friends can pay off in better health and a brighter outlook for years to come.