Difficult times can make our friends grow distant. Some withdraw, and others become irritable without them noticing. As a friend, it is your time to stand with them and help them overcome that dull moment. There are a couple of things you can do to help improve a friend’s morale and cheer them up, such as:
1. Check On Them
One way to help improve a friend’s morale is through caring gestures such as checking on how they spent their night. It makes them feel that someone is genuinely interested in their plea. It feels fantastic when you are the first thing someone thinks about when they wake up in the morning.
If your friend lives in the same neighborhood as you, go and visit them at home. You can volunteer to make an excellent breakfast with exciting items such as coffee with coffee syrup. This kind gesture can help to create a positive vibe in the morning, which will help them throughout the day.
2. Encourage Communication
As our friends grow distant during challenging times, some avoid speaking to almost everyone. Others feel as if they are a burden, while still others have low self-esteem. This is not time to ghost and let them deal with their struggles alone.
Instead, help improve a friend’s morale by understanding they are struggling within, albeit in silence. Encourage communication, and be careful not to hurt them than they are already hurting. Apply empathy. Help them share their problems with you so you can understand how to help.
3. Be Keen on Their Behavior
If you suspect your friend is struggling but avoiding to share, do not force them to open up. Instead, observe how they behave and note the difference from their usual character. At times, when people are struggling, they become suicidal when the matter gets out of hand. Do not let your friend be that person.
If you realize something is out of the ordinary, reach out. Find out what is bothering them. If they are not willing to share, you can involve your other friends that you both trust. Let them know about what is happening to your mutual friend and come up with ways you can intervene and try to help improve a friend’s morale.
4. Acknowledge Their Struggles
When your friend comes to you and shares what is happening to them, listen. Do not be that friend who steals their story and make it your struggle. This makes them feel as if you are competing with whose problem is greater.
Instead, improve a friend’s morale by letting them talk. Do not interrupt. Acknowledge they are struggling and do not try to offer a quick fix as a cover-up. There is no shame in struggling. Everyone undergoes a difficult time in life from different perspectives.
After they are done speaking, see if there is anything they think you may contribute to help with the situation. If not, you can offer some ideas and discuss them together to see which fixes their problem perfectly.
5. Do Not Take It To Social Media
Some people find solace in social media. But when it comes to personal matters, it can extremely be detrimental. Social media platforms are full of all types of people. There are bullies, perfectionists, armchair psychologists, and more.
Each person has their struggles, and some even channel their rage on these platforms. Sharing your friend’s difficult times on these channels can attract negative comments. And if your friend happens to see those comments, they will feel worse than before you interfered.
Therefore, it is prudent to leave social media alone if you genuinely care for your friend. This way, you will be able to come up with solutions creatively on how to improve a friend’s morale.
6. Find Professional Help
There are some cases when our friends face more than we can handle. If, after listening to your friend, you find no way out, consider finding professional help. Some problems are better solved when a professional is involved.
Although there are numerous professionals available, be vigilant about how you choose. Do a proper search to avoid subjecting your friend to an inexperienced person or worse, a quack.
If one of your friends is having a difficult time, be someone they will forever be thankful for. Help improve a friend’s morale by walking with them on their journey until they overcome it. You both will be grateful in the future that you remained true even in trying times.