Written by psychologist Mark Coulson
Relationships on Female First
A study was conducted on 2,000 adults to understand the state of modern friendships. It found that despite six in ten saying keeping in touch with friends is now easier thanks to technology, more than a third confessed they struggle to make time for close friends. Psychologist Mark Coulson offers his top tips for making significant friendships in today's world.
Be confident - When you pass school age, where building friendships is common, seeking out new friendships can be a little daunting. But research showed that 8 in 10 people are open to meeting new friends, so remember there is nothing wrong with looking to connect with new people if you want to - whether you’ve just arrived in a new place or have lived in the same town all your life. Assume most people would quite like to have you as a friend
Get to know yourself- Research has shown that what we value in other people is as varied as what we value in ourselves- we tend to like people who are like us. When choosing close friends then, it’s important we have an understanding of our core beliefs so that when we are comfortable enough to share them with our friends, we can understand more about compatibility from their responses
Be open – Not everyone we meet is going to become our best friend for life, but all connections can be meaningful and play pivotal roles at certain times. New friends may not share your enjoyment at going for walks but they may relish watching the same sports or reading a great book
Tech for good - Virtual interactions are no replacement for real life contact, but the internet and apps can be a great place to start and meet out new people – just remember to meet up and take the relationship offline
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself - Many friendships can suffer under various pressures perhaps through work, family or financial strain, knowing when text and email will suffice and when a longer heart-to-heart is needed can help us to keep bonds
In collaboration with expert matchmaker and psychologist, Mark Coulson, MINI has launched a new platonic matchmaking service ‘MINI Hatch Maker’. not only connect like-minded people, but also help people reclaim face-to-face time by providing lucky matches with amazing, bespoke experiences behind the wheel of a MINI 5-door Hatch. Visit www.MINI.co.uk/HatchMaker to sign up