Friendliness

Anyone can say why friendliness is important. Just seeing how you respond to a friendly person, you can tell why friendliness is an asset. A friendly person makes you feel good, doesn't he? An unfriendly one, on the other hand, leaves you uncomfortable and even angry.

Some people find it difficult to be friendly. Some just don't know how. Others are so shy that everyone they meet think them unfriendly.

How can you develop friendliness to improve your personality? Here are suggestions that will help:

1. Have the right attitude towards other people. Remember that in nine cases out of ten the other person wants to be friendly with you if you will just give him a chance. You have to be interested in people to have this attitude. Meet them with a smile and greet them with a cheerful "Hello", "Good morning!" or "Good afternoon!" two or three times before a conversation.

2. Figure out something ahead of time to talk about something that you know the other person is interested in. Try to keep your mind on the person and what he is saying. You need to give the other fellow your full attention. That way you won't be thinking of yourself and worrying how nervous you are.

3. After getting a bit acquainted, try doing things for your friend. Perhaps you could lend him a book or you might give him a simple treat in nearby refreshment parlor. Any little friendly gesture will make a person feel good and will make you feel good, too.

While being friendly will help go a long way, being over friendly will drive people away. Here are some questions which will test whether you are the overfriendly and annoying type.

1. Do you talk all the time and give no chance to other people present and in what they say or do?

2. Do you praise people frequently without being sincere about your praise?

3, Do you always try to be a clown, making fun of others particularly?

4. Are you always thinking about the impression you are going to make rather than being interested in the other people present and in what they say or do?

5. Do you "rush" your friends? To "rush" is to be always asking them to do something for you, something which would take up most of their leisure time.

If you have more "YES" answers than "NO", you are being overfriendly. Being friendly doesn't mean you have to try hard. It simply means being sincere in everything and to everyone.

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