Eight types of friendship
In their book on friendship, Liz Spencer and Ray Pahl identified 8 different types (based on their research).
Associates were people who only shared a common activity, like a hobby or a sport.
Useful contacts were people who shared information and advice, typically related to work or advancing ones career.
Favor friends were people who helped each other out in a functional manner, but not in an emotional manner.
Fun friends were people who socialized together, but only for fun. They didn’t provide each other with a deep level of emotional support.
Helpmates were a combination of favor friends and fun friends. They socialized together and helped each other out in a functional manner.
Comforters were like helpmates, but they also provided emotional support.
Confidants disclosed personal information to each other, enjoyed each other’s company, but weren’t always in a position to offer practical help, for example if they lived far away.
Soulmates displayed all of the elements.
Which types of friendships are you targeting?
http://www.thinkoutsidein.com/
I was chatting with my Sister Cousin yesterday about things we need to achieve in our lives, that will fulfill our needs and propel our journeys. Friendship was brought up. She had learned from our "Guru Goddess" that our need of friendship, has many forms, and levels to meet our needs. We both agreed that the friendship she and I share is what we have always looked for and longed for in all those we have called FRIEND. Yet we have always been disappointed in our findings time and time again. So my homework was started. I not only long to find the friendships that fill my many needs, but I also want to become that kind of friend.
ReplyDeleteSo....Life Class is in session.
You’ve Got a Friend
ReplyDeleteSharing experiences, looking within.
Friends can be an extension or a substitute for the nuclear family. There is a great need in most of us to share life experiences with others. Not only do we learn more about others when we engage in friendship, but we can also learn more about ourselves.
Relationships are mirrors of ourselves. What we attract always mirrors either qualities we have or beliefs we have about relationships. The things we don’t like about our friends are either reflections of what we do or what we believe. We could not attract such people if the way they are didn’t somehow complement our own lives.
When the bond between friends becomes strained, we can look to the negative messages of childhood to understand why. For instance, if we have a friend who is undependable and lets us down, we need to turn within. We need to see where we are undependable and when we let others down. Then, we need to perform a mental housecleaning, removing the negative messages and learning to accept ourselves so that we can accept others.
It’s pointless to run around trying to heal all of our friends. We cannot force others to change. We can offer them a positive mental atmosphere where they have the possibility to change if they wish, but we cannot do it for or to other people. Each person is here to work out his or her own lessons, and if we fix it for them, then they will just go and do it again, because they have not worked out what they needed to do for themselves.
All we can do is love them and allow them to be who they are.
Here are some affirmations for strengthening friendships:
I love and accept myself, and I am a magnet for friends.
I trust myself, I trust life, and I trust my friends.
Loving others is easy when I love and accept myself.
Even if I make a mistake, my friends help me through.
My love and acceptance of others creates lasting friendships.
Louise L. Hay