Article: Be willing to listen to your friends and give them support when they need it. Maybe a friend had a bad day or is going through a difficult breakup. Offer to listen and hear them out when they're struggling. Spend time with them and do things you know will help them feel better, like going on a walk or watching a movie together. Not everyone wants advice. Sometimes, people just want to talk and for you to listen. Ask your friends what they want from you so that you give them support in a way they appreciate it. Don't gossip about mutual friends or share private information. If your friend tells you something in confidence, don't go telling other people. Become the person your friends know they can count on to stay quiet and not gossip or share private details about their lives. Never give away secrets that your friends have told you. They may never trust you again. It may seem like the silliest secret, but it may be a big deal to your friend. Saying, "Sam told me not to tell anyone, so you have to promise to be quiet" isn't respecting your friend's privacy. You might want to lighten to mood if something is serious, but there are times when it's best to take cues from your friends. Not every situation demands a funny person or a witty response. For example, if your friend is sad, focus on supporting them and not just trying to make them laugh or feel better. They may appreciate your friendship and support more than you trying to be funny. When you start pointing fingers or accusing your friends of wrongdoing, it demolishes trust quickly. If you make a mistake, own up to it. If your friend makes a mistake, listen to them and let them know how it made you feel. If you're upset about something your friend did, tell them, but do so respectfully. Use "I" statements to stay away from blame. For example, say, "I felt left out when you went to that concert and didn't invite me." Conflicts or disagreements are inevitable in any relationship. If your friend does something that upsets you, you must find a way to forgive them if you want to continue being friends. Be willing to hear their side of the story without dismissing them. Avoid trying to get revenge or punishing them for their wrong. Instead, be willing to move past the event and forgive them. Forgiving someone doesn't mean you have to pretend something didn't happen or that you weren't hurt. It just means giving your friendship a chance to move forward after a setback.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Give emotional support. Respect their privacy. Know when to be funny and know when to be serious. Stay away from blaming your friends. Forgive them when they mess up.
Article: When you feel relaxed and ready, you can start by visualizing a journey to meet your spirit guide. Close your eyes, take a few breaths, and begin picturing in your mind whatever imagery suits you. For instance: Imagine yourself climbing a set of stairs. At the top, there is a door. When you open it, you will find a room or space where you can greet your spirit guide. Picture yourself climbing each stair, one at a time, until you are ready to reach the door. Let the staircase be as high as seems right to you. Imagine yourself rising upwards out of your home, away from your street, into the sky, and into outer space. Picture the stars, moons, and planets that you might see there. Feel for the one that seems like the right place to meet your spirit guide, and go there. Imagine yourself walking through a dense forest or field of tall grass. Feel your way to a clearing, and picture yourself entering it to meet your spirit guide. Try connecting with your spirit guide through dream visualization, such as lucid dreaming. Once you have reached the place where you can meet your spirit guide, you should be ready to make a connection with it. Keep in mind that your spirit guide might be someone or something (such as an animal or other creature) that you see, but you might also only hear it, feel it, or just "know" that it is there. When you have found your spirit guide, it will be nice to have a confirmation that it knows you are there and wants to communicate with you. Try: Asking its name. Asking for a sign. For instance, your spirit guide might play a melody that is very special to you, or cause you to smell a scent that you like, or say something about you that no one else would knowanything to show that you are connected. Looking for synchronicities and coincidences that show you are connecting with your spirit guide. For example, perhaps your spirit guide will say a quote that you will read later in the day. If you are having trouble connecting with your spirit guide through visualization, or just want to try a different method, you can use automatic writing. Get a pen and paper, close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and ask your spirit guide to write through you. Keep writing without stopping until you feel the connection has ended for now. Afterwards, analyze what you wrote to see how your spirit guide was communicating with you. Automatic writing might take the form of recognizable words. However, your automatic writing might also incorporate images, doodles, and even alternate languages and alphabets. Whatever comes out, don't filter it as you write. Just let it flow as long as you feel connected. Use your intuition when trying to interpret your automatic writing. Look for connections to things that interest you, questions you have, and images, phrases, or ideas that keep coming up. Don't be surprised if your automatic writing is difficult to interpret or even impenetrable. Be patient if you don't understand, and see if your spirit guide will help reveal things in time. Don't just look for answers to questions you have, or reflections on yourself. Try to understand the character of your spirit guide as it is expressed in the automatic writing. This can help you become closer to your guide. Another way to connect with your spirit guide through writing is to address a letter to it. Get yourself in the right mental and spiritual state through breathing exercises, meditation, or other means. Then, using paper and a pen, start drafting a letter to your spirit guide. Once you have finished your letter, you can keep it in a special place (such as a box), or symbolically deliver it to your spirit guide (burn it, throw it in a river, or let the wind carry it away). Afterwards, look for signs and synchronicities that show your spirit guide has received your letter. Whether visualizing your spirit guide or writing to it, you should feel free to ask it questions. Remember it is there to guide you, so ask it whatever is on your mind. If you are writing to your spirit guide, you can use two differently colored pensone to write down your questions, and another for your spirit guide's answers. Questions you might ask include: "Who am I?" "What do I really want?" "What should I do about X?" "What changes should I make in my life?" "What is my purpose in life?" "What is holding me back?" "What is the universe made of?" Any others that are specific to your life, goals, worries, dreams, or interests. You may enjoy keeping a journal of all the connections you make with your spirit guide, whether through visualization, writing, dreams, meditation, or some other means. Record the day and time, how you connected, the messages or signs that you received, how you felt, and anything else you recollect.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Visualize your way. Recognize your spirit guide. Make a specific connection. Try automatic writing. Write a letter to your guide. Ask questions. Keep a record of your connections.