How To Build A Stronger Relationship With Someone
Building relationships, both romantic and platonic, takes a lot of work. You might have acquaintances but you know there’s nothing special between you two. Just a shallow connection and nothing more. However, if you want to become closer to another person but aren’t sure about how to approach the situation or how to do so, there are several techniques or ways you can try to undertake to get to know someone a little bit better and, in turn, strengthen your relationship with them.
1. Ask them questions about themselves and get to know them.
Find out about their background, their family, where they grew up, what aspirations they have – basically, have more and more conversations with them and ask them things that you don’t know about them. The more they confide in you or open up, the more easily they will do so again in the future. Additionally, the more you know about what kind of person they are will help you evaluate your relationship with them, as well as present them to you as a full, complex individual, rather than simply just another “person”. So, don’t be shy and ask away!
2. Spend time together.
As far as text or phone conversations can go, nothing really beats spending quality time together. For some people, physical proximity is a more intimate or vulnerable aspect of any relationship than talking or texting. Go out and have a conversation over some coffee rather than through social media, or invite them over for dinner or a movie. Even just sitting or standing around chatting and catching up are good ways to have more face-to-face interaction to build that connection! But it’s an old friend and you haven’t been in touch for a while here’s how to reconnect with them.
3. Open up about yourself.
While this may seem one sided, it actually will make both of you feel closer to each other. If you express vulnerability to the other person it creates a sense that you are trusting them with something personal and intimate. Tell them a secret, or something that not a lot of people know about you. That will cause them to rank a little higher on your internal list of people with whom you feel close. Additionally, the fact that you trust them enough to share something personal with them will cause the other person to feel flattered or touched, and they in turn will also feel a little closer to you!
4. Partake in a trust-building exercise together.
This may seem a little obvious, but it’s effective! Bonding activities such as escape rooms are designed to cause people to work closely together. Seeing how the other person work and think under pressure is a great way to bring the two of you together. Working together, rather than against each other, will allow you to feel closer to each other. And the pride of accomplishment at the end of the activity will be something that the two of you can share in together.
5. Take a trip together.
Whether it’s far or near, traveling or going somewhere together is a surefire way to become closer to the other person. If you are traveling, the excitement of being in a new destination, unknown to either of you or perhaps simply just so different from your regular environment, is something that the two of you can explore and revel in together. Seeing new sights, speaking to new people, and eating new foods are all eye-opening experiences that the two of you will share and remember forever. Thus, traveling together is a surefire way of both opening your eyes to the world and to the person you are with.
6. Make sure that you are freely and openly communicating.
Communication is a key and crucial aspect of any relationship, whether platonic or romantic. If something is bothering you, don’t keep it bottled up and let it fester! Communicate it to clear the air – even if it’s difficult to address, just push through. Your partner or other person will be patient and you can figure the issue out together. However, nobody is a mind reader, so in order for any relationship to thrive, both parties need to be openly communicating with the other to make sure that there are no misunderstandings.
7. Be gracious with your compliments, validation, and positive thoughts.
Don’t be shy or embarrassed to say nice things to your partner, even if they may seem silly. “You smell nice” or “I like the way you laughed today” are both perfectly valid compliments! But being free and giving with your affection is a good way to bring the two of you together. Plus, it shows the other person that you are comfortable enough around them to be a little silly or vulnerable, even if it isn’t the smoothest or best worded way of expressing your feelings.
8. Make time for the other person.
Nothing is more frustrating than being on one end of a relationship between two people where the other person is always too busy to spend time with or make time for you. Make sure that you are successfully balancing, not prioritizing one over the other, both your personal relationships and your work or school obligations. Be respectful to the other person – give them plenty of heads up if you need to cancel plans, and make sure to take care of your time management so that your professional responsibilities do not cut into time that you would otherwise have free for your friend or partner.
9. Don’t be afraid of a disagreement or fight.
Disagreeing is normal – after all, you are two separate people with different thoughts, feelings, opinions, and beliefs. Some of those beliefs and opinions are bound to contradict or conflict with one another. However, it is crucial that you know how to have an argument, and that you know how to reconcile and maintain your relationship even after you’ve had an argument. One disagreement is not a good cause for ending an entire relationship with another person. Listen closely to the other person, and work together to find a compromise so that you are not having the same fights and arguments over and over again.
10. Work together to solve problems or disagreements.
Along the same lines as the previous tip, any relationship is a partnership. You both need to work together, not against each other, to find compromises and solutions to obstacles, issues, or problems. It is not a matter of winning or beating the other person – it’s about beating the roadblock ahead of the both of you. The more mature the both of you are, the more easily you will be able to conquer your pride or whatever it is holding you back, and entreat the other to find a solution that the both of you can benefit from.