The Importance Of Befriending Yourself, First!

As kids, we are all told by our parents to go out, talk to people and make friends. What exactly are friendships or friends for? Undoubtedly, they are a part of our lives because these people lend their ears to us when we need them, fight for us when we want them to, and be companions in the journey of this mortal life that we live. The term ‘Friends’ is used so casually by us, almost every day. Hold on to the following statements because they would come handy soon!

“My friend helped me out”
“My friend listened to me and fought for me”.

We instantly picture a person or maybe a group of people when we say ‘Friends’, but has it ever occurred to you that the perspective can be changed a little? How about we start befriending our own self and experience a very surreal kind of relation which, although is a small step can have a magnanimous impact on our life and the way we live it. Loving yourself is something which everyone talks about, but in order to do that, you really need to first befriend yourself. Here are some things which an 18-year-old would love to share with you all –

1. Understand yourself:

We all have a soul. There is no narrow definition to it, except that it tells us if we should do a particular thing or not. Simply put, we can never understand others without understanding our own complexities. If we don’t know who we are, we can never expect others to.

2. Listen to what your inner voice tells you:

Friendship is not only about having someone lending their ear to us, but it is also about listening to them. In every situation, take some time out (trust me, a few seconds is all I am asking for!) and listen to the difficulties or problems you are thinking about, but are unwilling to address.

3. Question yourself:

Answers cannot be birthed if there are no questions. Question your actions, your instinct, and behavior. If one thing is for sure, it is definitely the way to improve and know yourself better.

4. Be patient:

Every relation demands patience, and while some may find it unnecessary, it is essential. Living in current times calls for a complicated personality trait rooted deeply within all of us. Becoming your own friend is not an easy ride; hang on there because it is worth it.

5. Correct any incorrect thoughts or actions:

As much important it is to stand up for what you believe in, it is crucial to retrospect, take responsibilities of anything that you did which was wrong and work on your flaws.

6. Celebrate every little success and value yourself:

You cannot celebrate your achievements if you do not value yourself and you will never learn to give yourself the credit for what you do unless you cherish it. Know that your mental peace comes first and that every tiny or humongous feat of yours is another feather added to your cap.

Remember the two sentences I used before? Now think about them this way, and say it out loud.

“I helped myself out.”
“I listened to myself and fought for what I believe in.”

It’s a crazy, crazy world and I think we can all make a new friend if we haven’t already. We just need to find that friend, that comfort and support in us!