Picture this. You are struggling to gather your thoughts after an intense conversation with your spouse. You are angry and sad at the same time. The only way to find calm is to let go of the emotions building up inside you. So what do you do? You pick up your phone, call your friend and talk to him or her about it. Your childhood buddy listens to you calmly and offers their honest opinion.
Now, you may not like what they said but talking makes you feel better as if a load is lifted from your shoulders. This is the power of friendship. It is a relationship that may not be talked about often but holds an important place in our lives. Knowing you always have someone by your side who can keep you calm even in the toughest of times.
Unfortunately, many of us can’t boast of such great friendships. Why? Because we find it hard to meet and develop a friendship, mostly because we lack the necessary social skills or no longer have the desire to meet people as we did in college or school. This often leaves us alone, longing for friendship.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are books about friendships that explain how to build and nurture relationships. All you have to do is read them and then imbibe some of the taught values.
To make your search easier, we have compiled a list of eight books on building and maintaining friendships, so let’s dive in!
The Art of Showing Up: How to Be There for Yourself and Your People by Rachel Wilkerson Miller
Do you have trouble connecting with those around you? Think twice before meeting new people? Many people go through the same struggle. It’s especially not easy to make friends when you are an adult. In this book, author Rachel Wilkerson Miller suggests a more thoughtful and fulfilling approach to cultivating and maintaining relationships in life. All they have to do is show up when others need them. Miller writes, “Showing up is what turns people you know into your people. It’s at the core of creating and maintaining strong, meaningful bonds with friends, family, co-workers and even internet pals.”
Belong: Find Your People, Create Community, and Live a More Connected Life by Radha Agarwal
It is said no man is an island. We cannot survive without connection and need someone to make us whole. There is an underlying urge to become part of a community. But despite the advancement in technology that connects us to thousands of people, we feel more isolated than ever. In this book, author Radha Agarwal shares a two-step process of finding meaningful connections. Readers will learn how to feel connected by finding people like themselves. Agarwal writes, “We are born in the community—fully connected to another human. Without connection, we cannot survive. It’s in our DNA to belong.” And her book will show you the way.
Stop Being Lonely: Three Simple Steps to Developing Close Friendships and Deep Relationships by Kira Asatryan
Interestingly, loneliness has nothing to do with being alone. One can be lonely even in a crowd, real or virtual. But there is a way to avoid this feeling, and it is through cultivating another feeling, that of closeness. In this book, author Kira Asatryan talks about how one can cultivate closeness in a relationship. Asatryan writes, “Closeness is a fundamental yet little understood aspect of relationship health. It is instrumental in making a relationship feel satisfying and secure.” She shares steps such as knowing, caring and mastering closeness, which can help people bridge gaps and form new relationships.
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