How You Can Make People Remember You Forever <3
Close relationships are key to a fulfilled life, and we young teens and adults are in dire need of healthy emotional intimacy. If you want to cultivate meaningful, long-lasting connections with your friends and family, follow these six principles:
Be vulnerable
Being the first person in a relationship (platonic, romantic, etc.) to open up sounds intimidating, but it sends all the right signals to the other party. People are attracted to flaws; they make you seem more relatable, honest, and real. No one is perfect, and sharing your struggles shows you trust them.
Ask good questions
A conversation is only as interesting as the prompts you ask the other person. “How was your day?“ and “What did you do?“ are boring questions. Aim to ask questions that stir emotions, allow more depth, and are more fun to answer: “What‘s the best thing that happened today?“ “What‘s exciting you in your life right now?“
Tell stories
Do you ever ask yourself what you did the past month and nothing interesting comes to mind? Everything feels like a jumble of memories that you can’t sort and you feel like you have nothing to say when someone asks what you have been up to lately. Do this: Each day, write down one “story-worthy “ moment that happened. At the end of the month, you‘ll have 30 new stories to tell.
Be fully engaged
Imagine you‘re eating at a restaurant with a close friend who you haven‘t seen in a couple of weeks and you‘re eager to catch up with each other. Thirty minutes into the conversation, you notice your friend going on their phone. The conversation keeps getting interrupted awkwardly and you now feel like they don‘t want to be here. If this has happened to you before, you know how discouraging it feels. When you are spending time with someone you care about, give them your distraction-free attention. It‘s one thing to check your phone discreetly, it‘s another thing to disengage from an interaction fully. If there is a justified reason for it, make sure to reaffirm your friend.
Go above and beyond
Remember the small details people tell you. What are their guilty pleasures? What are their pet peeves? How do they like their eggs? Give handwritten “Thank You“ or “I love you“ cards and hide them in their jacket pockets. Root for their success: if they play a sport, go to their games; if they‘re preparing for a job interview or a test, help them practice. Small actions make a big difference.
When in doubt, apply Dale Carnegie‘s timeless methods
Listen more when you speak; ask follow-up questions to show that you‘re listening to them. Take a genuine interest in others.
Use people‘s names often: “I missed you, Beth!“ “Your hair looks amazing, Jesse!“ Express gratitude frequently. Avoid criticizing and complaining.
> written by saskia (:
