Friendship should be something you prioritize and there’s a good reason for that: you can meet some of your essential needs only through friendship. For example, do you want people to care about you? Well, one of the best ways for that is friendship because through friendship people can care about each other.

Friendship is not something new for most of us because we already knew about it since our childhood. The problem is how to have good, fulfilling friendship and that’s what this article is about.

Here are some tips you can apply to have a fulfilling friendship:

1.Understand first

While we want to be understood by others, sometimes we forget to try to understand others. But there is no way you can have a fulfilling friendship if you just want to be understood without trying to understand. Such a friendship will eventually encounter problems that will be difficult to solve. So it’s essential that you try to understand others before asking to be understood.

2.Be a good listener

Being a good listener is an indispensable part of understanding others because you can’t understand others without listening to them. Only by listening to them can you understand what they are saying both explicitly and implicitly. This requires you to really focus on them and give them your full attention. But the reward is clear: you will understand them better. They will also feel that you care.

3.Admit your mistakes

There are times when you make mistakes in your friendship and it could be difficult to admit them. But to have a fulfilling friendship you should be willing to admit your mistakes. After all, making mistakes is normal because nobody is perfect. Your willingness to admit mistakes will encourage your friends to do the same and the end result will be a fulfilling friendship for all of you. On the other hand, not admitting mistakes is a good way to end a friendship.

4. Avoid unrealistic expectations

Having realistic expectations is essential because it prevent you from having unnecessary disappointments. If you have unrealistic expectations, it will be easy for you to be disappointed. But you should understand that your friends – just like you - are not perfect. They do make mistakes. By having realistic expectations you will open the way to a good and lasting friendship.

Applying these tips is not easy but they can help you have a fulfilling friendship. Don’t wait for other people to take the initiative. Start with yourself.