Simply put, deep friendships take time to develop. Your dearest friends know a lot about you and can have such a positive influence on your overall well-being. This is especially true if you have nurtured those relationships with a variety of shared experiences and allowed yourself to be open and vulnerable at times.

Let Your True Self Shine

True friends — the ones you let into your life — know the real you. When you share your inner thoughts with someone, you build a level of trust and intimacy that leads to even deeper bonds. Opening up and being vulnerable by sharing yourself is what creates a relationship with someone who can — and wants to — provide social support for you in good times and bad.

Build Trust

Deep connections happen by building trust, which requires three important things:

• Listening actively.
• Offering genuine support.
• Showing appreciation.

When you actively listen, you show that you value the other person's thoughts and feelings, which conveys a sense of respect and strengthens your connection. Active listening is about following these three A's — Attention, Attitude and Adjustment. “Attention means fully focusing on the person speaking,” explains Hayley Flott, PDRMA Wellness Consultant. “Attitude is being receptive and open to what the speaker has to say. And Adjustment is when you adapt your responses to fit each situation.”

When you support someone, you show that you care about them. This could mean simply listening to them vent or helping them address a concern. Supporting others builds stronger bonds and deeper connections.

And when you show your appreciation of someone else, it really cements trust. But don't forget — you need to express your gratitude regularly and not hold back your thanks if you want to build those strong relationships. Trust forms through reliability, vulnerability and positive interactions. People will feel secure communicating with you when you show them respect, understanding and kindness.

Overcome Busy-ness

Busy schedules make it challenging to find time for meaningful interactions. If you haven’t set aside enough time to build or be with your social support group, think about how you can better balance your schedule to make that happen. “It’s critical to set aside time for personal wellness,” adds Flott. “In fact, it’s a great idea to schedule social time and put it on your to-do list to make a commitment to yourself and to others.”

Health and lasting friendships go hand in hand. Make sure your busy life doesn’t get in the way of creating and maintaining relationships that are important to you. Do the little things that build those trusted connections. Your efforts will pay off, enriching your life with invaluable support, joy and a stronger sense of well-being for years to come!

PATH Resources

PATH resources promote interesting ideas and tips for energizing your social support group.

• Healthy Habits — Healthy Relationships.
• Journeys — Healthy Relationships.
• Media — Personal Growth.
• Health Coaching.