It does not matter how long you have known your friend, a year or even 2 months; in my opinion, if you want to be there for them, you will. With that said, if you have a friend who is going through a hard time and is expressing it to you, here are 8 ways to cheer them up when they are crying:
1. Give Them a Cup of Hot Chocolate.
Sit down with them, give them a cup of hot chocolate. Have him or her vent it out with no interruptions. A best friend of mine once told me “I dislike it when a person stops me from venting and gives me their opinion on what to do without asking me.” When he shared the message to me, it was crazy that never came to my mind. While it is nice to have opinions, listening it better.
2. Hug It Out
Grab him or her tightly. Hold them while they are crying on your shoulder. For me, when I am hugging a friend, I like to give them a small pat on the back, while I am holding them.
3. Go for a Walk
Whether you both live in a city close to the mountains or a city full of light, getting out of the house will make you feel refreshed. Go for a walk and you may stumble upon a place neither of you have heard of. Who knows, it could be the new get together place!
4. Drive Around Town with a Playlist
Music is everyone’s therapy. There are so much genres and lyrics that are so relatable, you can’t help but say “Yes! This song is for me!” You can create a playlist full of your best friend’s artists and songs. You can also add in some songs they may never heard of but feel they would love. I would recommend Spotify for this, it is free and easy! Personally, listening to Vance Joy, have the windows and being in company with my best friend, would make my mood turn around in a heartbeat.
5. Dine Out
If you have the funds, take them out to their favorite restaurant! Whether it be Pizza, Pad Thai or BBQ. If you want to get creative, you can make their favorite meal right at home! Have them help out, even if they do not want it, it will keep their mind occupied for a bit.
6. Bake Desserts
While going to dinner can be fun, nothing can cure a heart more than sweets (in my opinion at least)! Try out that new Chocolate Fudge cake you have been wanting to test out. Maybe bake your friend’s favorite cookies and serve them with milk. Also, you can make up your own recipes, if nothing online sounds appetizing.
7. Put on a Funny Movie/Television Series
I love to watch anything that puts a smile to my face. Of course, to forget what has happened prior to that moment but also: laughing is great for you! As of right now, my go-to comedy movie would be Trainwreck starring Amy Schumer and Bill Hader. For anything on Hulu, I personally love putting on Seinfield because George Costanza is very relatable to every living human on earth.
8. Bring Up Good Memories
I love memories, especially with people I love and care about. While you are both on the walk, driving around town with your playlist or baking cookies, bring up the times both of you were happy. Maybe it was the vacation you both took in the summer, or that college party where you both met. At the end of the day, friendship is such a wonderful thing to have in our lives, so we do our best to live up to it. Featured photo credit: Benjamin Balázs via flickr.com
