Friendships are a beautiful thing and every human being craves them.
We all need people we can open up to and share anything. This is important because the negative effects of bottling in every emotion can be quite bad for our mental health.
Our personalities and actions generally are the deciding factor when it comes to making friends. Because we attract the people that we have something or things in common with.
Reading as a skill has many benefits and a question I got recently basically asked whether reading does help in making friends or not.
That question stuck out to me and I thought it would make for a great article. Therefore this post will discuss reading and friendships to give you a good idea of the two.
With that said, Does reading help you make friends?
Reading allows you to think dynamically and express yourself well which is important in being social and making friends.
Therefore, reading will make it easy for you to make friends because it allows you to be empathetic, communicative and articulate which are the best traits for creating new human connections.
Below are some benefits of reading that important in making new friends.
Opinions
Reading books gives you so much information about a number of different things.
This information then becomes a part of your general outlook on life. Which makes up the basis from which you draw the opinions you share with others.
You can easily become friends with people just by sharing your opinion with them and validating your thought process.
Which is why people that have made reading a part of their lives usually offer a different way to look at things.
Being able to provide that kind of value will easily win you friends and you’ll attract people that are share your opinions.
Articulation
Reading is a great habit and one of the benefits of this art is that it allows you to become a better speaker.
Becoming a better speaker is all about having the confidence as well the knowledge to speak freely and make sense.
People that are well spoken are able to make friends easily because people like people that can express themselves well.
The basis of any friendship is the ability to speak the same language and clearly communicate with your peers.
Good articulation is one of the benefits of reading and it can help you become a better person that is able to articulate themselves well enough to win friends and influence people.
Interests
Anybody that has been a reader for a long time has preferences when it comes to the stuff that they like to read.
Some people are into fiction while others are into non fiction. Depending on what you like to read, Becoming friends with people is because of shared interests.
Reading books is a great source to indulge in things you have interest in and this can then help you connect with like-minded individuals on a higher level that can ultimately Befriend them.
Book clubs
Most people that get into reading usually join book clubs to get into reading a little more deeper.
Book clubs are a great place to learn about reading and they’re also a great place to meet people that you can become friends with.
Self understanding
Reading books is not a one sided activity even though most people think that it is.
With reading, you receive information from the author and you then use this information to make your own judgement, predictions, assumptions and choices etc.
The ability to do this improves the way that you understand yourself and the world as a whole.
Through deep self understanding, you’re able to know who you really are and are able to easily spot people that you can become friends with.
This is one benefit of reading that can help you in making new friends or connections.
Patience
Reading books also teaches us the patience of sticking to something until we fully understand it.
Making friends, just like getting into a romantic relationship is all about having having patience to know people well and understand them on a deeper level.
Patience also helps us in the way that we deal with people.
Being patient means that you have the ability to empathise with people and take your time with them.
A quality that is quite necessary in any relationship.
Skills for making friends
Making friends is a delicate art and most of the times, it happens naturally. However there are things that make this happen.
I’ll discuss these things below to give you a general idea of things that work best when looking to win friends and genuine connections.
Starting conversation
Connecting with people is a pretty easy task if you think of it and it comes from your ability to socialise.
Most of the times it’s about starting a conversation with the right person and letting it go wherever you want it to.
The ability to start a conversation is an essential skill that is necessary for making new friends and the sooner you realise this, The sooner you can begin using it to make new friends.
If you’re into reading, you obviously have a lot of reference points for conversation. This can therefore make it easy for you to start conversations.
Interpreting situations
A very important skill that is quite overlooked in making new friends is the ability to interpret situations.
Being able to interpret situations and act accordingly shows intelligence and it is likely going to make you friends.
This is a skill that can be easily picked up and its probably one that you already even possess.
For example, an old lady is leaving a convenient store and you see her carrying heavy bags to her car which is a little bit distant from where she is… Lending her a hand with her bags to to her car is an act of kindness but it also shows your ability to interpret situations and provide your help or insight.
Such powers of Interpretation are essential in making friends.
interacting positively
Positive interactions are another great way of making new friends. People want to be friends with people that can provide them value.
Being positive is a great way to uplift others and it will easily win you friends.
Therefore, the next time you want to make a new friend. Assess and interpret the situation and figure out a way to start a positive conversation and interact with them positively.
Listening
Finally, listening is another key skill in making friends , if not the most important.
People want to become friends with people they can open up to and share their minds with.
A person that is able to listen to what you have to say when you need them is all we want as human beings.
Therefore, your ability to listen and empathize with people will make it easy for you to make friends.
Related Articles You Should Check Out
Can Reading Change Your Personality?
Helpful Resources
How Reading Helped My Socially Awkward Self Make Friends – The Curious Reader
Science Says Reading a Book Makes You a Better Friend – Electric Literature
10 reasons why books are our best friends | The Times of India
10 Ways Reading Can Help Improve Your Relationships – Bustle
