How to be a Good Neighbor?

We live in an ecosystem where we exchange thoughts and information with each other. There are all kinds of neighbor. However, a good neighbor becomes the cynosure of all eyes. Everyone looks up to good neighbors and treat them with love, care, and respect.

A good neighbor need not be someone extraordinary, he or she needs just to be amiable, sociable and benevolent. Hospitality is what counts. You should be an empathetic person, only then you can be a good neighbor.

How To Be A Good Neighbor?

A good neighbor must be a little alert and must be faithful with what is happening around him or her. Given below are the pointers which will help you to become a good neighbor:

#1. Communicate With Your Neighbor

Keep up with your neighbors on a regular basis. Grab every opportunity of talking to them. Sometimes while you go for a walk, say hi if you bump into them somewhere, be it morning or evening. Converse with them on the daily affairs. You need not discuss intellectual subjects; it’s that you can talk about almost anything. The normal confabulations give you confidence, and you get to know one another. Tell them if you have any sort of trouble with them, discussion helps in solving matters to a great deal. Silence is not golden in cases like this. So, appreciate them when they do something extraordinary.

#2. Keep Others Updated Of News Around You

There are certain meetings in the colonies or societies you live in. You must inform your neighbors about it. A good neighbor is not selfish, he or she shares things with others as well. If everyone is planning a party or contemplating on organizing a book club or something, indulge in discussion with them. When you interact with them, you get to know their ideas and thoughts about the matters. Moreover, they can contribute as well. This also lessens the burden of others. If you are the one who helps others and gives a shout to people around you, you will be termed as a good neighbor who keeps others in his or her mind.

#3. Be Warm To Your New Neighbors

A good neighbor is friendly and considerate. Always be ready to help others. Introduce yourself to others and show generosity. Ask them if they face any difficulty and try your level best to lend them a helping hand. Talk to them and involve them in neighborly discussions and events. You can constantly enquire about their troubles. Invite them to your place and serve them. This creates a good impression, and they will adore and respect you for your warm gesture.

#4. Give Your Neighbors Their Personal Space

Bad neighbors pry into others’ lives and want to derive information about others like a curious cat. Do not be inquisitive and nosy. Loan favors to them only when you are asked to. Do not unnecessarily barge into someone’s house or life.

You must respect your neighbor’s privacy. We don’t share everything with everyone. So try to think from others’ viewpoint as well. What if people invaded your privacy? What if somebody constantly irked you regarding your personal life? So, stay away from grilling and investigating your neighbors.

#5. Arrange Get-Togethers

You can organize some functions so that everyone gets together like a family. You can arrange certain meetings or occasions. You can also plan to celebrate festivals by curating events so that you get time to be in touch with your neighbors to know about them and their tastes and preferences. This will build an intimacy and a strong bond which strengthen your relationship with your neighbors.

#6. Apologize When You Are Wrong

Misunderstanding creeps in when you live with others on the same street or lane. You need to clear the disputes if any through open communication. You must say sorry if you do something inappropriate. Do not cross the invisible line that exists between you and your neighbor. Respect the borderlines and admit your mistakes when you think you have made a faux pas. A good neighbor does not shy away from confessing when he or she knows that he is guilty or involved in something wrong.

#7. Furnish Services To Your Neighbors

Sometimes we need favors from others so that we can complete our tasks. If someone is in urgent need, you can help them by providing the services. You will also get the return in help in your future if you help them at some point. For instance, if they require some gardening paraphernalia, you can loan them. If somebody wants your car in case of exigencies, you can lend them your car.

#8. Go For Morning Or Evening Walks Together

If you want to create a strong relationship with your neighbors, you can ask them to join you during your morning or evening walk or exercise. You can hit the gym together as well. You will be rejuvenated and get a company too. Also, you get to share your views on the general environment and affairs. You might get hands on the information which you are not aware of. This will be a give and take relationship where you exchange information and stay healthy at the same time.

#9. Surprise Your Neighbor With Presents

A good neighbor takes good care of others’ needs as well. If you owe someone something that cannot be replaced in words or monetary terms, you can bring them a gift. They will give you incredible responses. Hug them and thank them for being a good and supportive neighbor. You can give them anything, be it something homemade like cake or a vase. The materialistic gift does not hold any significance, the feelings and love behind the love are what matters a lot.

#10. Organize Potluck Occasionally

You can always ask people to bring their food to someplace. A lot can happen over food and coffee. You can organize games and fun activities on a similar day while guzzling down your drinks and consuming your food. In events like these, you can taste different food and know about the likes and dislikes of your neighbors. Do not forget anyone in the process and share a word or two with everyone. At times. We take some people for granted and that causes friction and bitterness between relationships.

#11. Do Not Litter

You are expected to behave in a good and healthy manner. Be aware of your surroundings and do not throw trash near someone else’s house. Collect your garbage and dump it into the dustbin so that your dustman can collect it the next day. Do not irritate your neighbors with your trivial behavior and activities. Try to keep your surroundings clean and green.

#12. Ask Neighbors To Grow Plants

In this advanced world, we are so occupied in our lives that we do not take care of our environment at all. We should pay heed to our surroundings and make efforts to make it spick and span. A green environment is very necessary and good for our health too. We should strive to grow plants in our garden so that we breathe fresh air. Try to convince your neighbors to add more greenery to their houses, not just gardens. This will create a unity and a good outcome at the end.

#13. Park Your Vehicles Correctly

Do not hinder someone’s way due to your vehicles. Make sure you are aware of parking etiquettes so that people do not criticize you in your absence. Some neighbors mention it to the face as well which becomes an embarrassment. In order to avoid gratification, and to be a good neighbor, do not slam the door tightly of your cars. Do not park in front of your neighbor’s house. Others face a lot of inconvenience due to your ignorance of parking manners.

#14. Control Your Pets

Well, a good neighbor keeps a check on his or pets. Pets are in the habit of roaming here and there. Make sure that your dogs and cats do not enter your neighbor’s place. Dogs and cats run into the home and spoil everything. This might make your neighbors angry, so to avoid such situation it is better to keep them on a leash. If your dog barks repeatedly, you should definitely consult an animal organization, else it would cause you a number of problems. How would you react if someone’s dog jumps on you unexpectedly? No one really likes it. So be alert and careful.

#15. Keep In Mind The Lifestyle Of Your Neighbors

Every house has a different routine and different schedules. No house is same. Ask your neighbors about the time they stay at home. Be well-informed of the nature of your neighbors too. One family can be really noisy which can perturb everyone else around them. So get some details regarding their sense of living and make certain changes in your lifestyle. After all, an adjustment is not a big deal.

Do you have opinions on how to be a good neighbor? Please feel free to share with us in the comments section. We would love to hear from you.

(Image Courtesy: 1. Human Pursuits, 2. Why Soblu, 3. i Stock, 4. Express, 5. Pet Safe; Express(Featured Image Courtesy)