Most people count good friends among the most important people in their lives. Not all friends are good, though. Good friends communicate openly. They usually don’t shy away from telling the truth, even when they think you may not like it. Still, they accept you for you — just as you accept them. You can trust them to respect your boundaries, even when you disagree with one another.
What Good Friends Do
They offer honest opinions. Sometimes you want to ignore the hurtful things your friends say. But if you want to remain friends with these folks, it’s time to let them see your side of things. They’re not afraid to be honest, whether they’re telling you about something they did to hurt you or expressing sympathy for your frustrations. It’s a sad but necessary truth that friends can and will hurt one another. Sometimes it takes a very bad circumstance to bring the truth out in the open. They give good advice. You’re likely to call on your friends for help in a variety of situations. Sometimes they’re there to give you good advice. And sometimes they’re there to offer the kind of sympathy and support that you can’t give yourself. They tell you when you’re wrong.
How To Be a Good Friend
Here are some of the qualities to look for in a good friend. 1. Appreciation This goes without saying, but you should never feel guilty for showing your appreciation of your friends. Not only does it make you a great friend, it’s one of the nicest ways to express your gratitude. 2. Openness Be open and honest with your friends. Allow them to express themselves freely without judgment or backlash. 3. Sense of Humor As much as it sucks sometimes, humor is one of the most important things you can have in your relationship. Humor helps to keep the other person lighthearted and relaxed, even when you have strong feelings about an issue. Humor also helps to keep the conflict between the two of you to a minimum.
Put Yourself in Their Shoes
One of the reasons that some friends are not good is because they don’t put themselves in your shoes. They just don’t think about the details or imagine how you may be feeling. If you do that, you realize that you don’t always want to spend every minute of your day with someone who picks apart every conversation you have with them. The truth is, you’re spending a good deal of your time with them because you feel good about yourself around them. Next time you have a conversation with someone that leaves you annoyed or upset, take a step back and try to put yourself in their shoes. What’s most likely going on? Are you tired, resentful or overwhelmed? In most relationships, one person is always running late and often has to do most of the housework.
Listen With Your Heart
Friendships are built on love. Some friendships are built on caring, nurturing and giving love. Friendship also means listening to your friend and heartbeating with them — especially when they talk about something very personal or vulnerable. Be present Friends are not all you need in life. But a healthy relationship needs two. You can support one another by taking time to nurture your friendships. Value the friendships you have now, and enjoy the fact that there’s a little less drama in your world today.
Bring Out the Best in Them
Friendships become better when they are based on mutual respect. Doing so will let you bring out the best in your friend and help you support one another. When you get together as friends, it may be easier to talk things out and make better choices. This is because you can get some of the underlying issues that are holding you back out in the open. Beware of Overvaluing Your Friendship Sometimes, friends can get the best of us and start to feel like we have to act a certain way or provide certain things to keep the friendship going. Yet, if you’re not willing to compromise in some areas, you may find it difficult to get the quality out of the friendship you desire.
Give Them Space
Best friends know the value of time alone. They also know that the best way to recharge for the next day is to talk it out. So, instead of telling your best friend to hang out with you, ask if you can get together. If you’re not around to hang out with your friends as much as you’d like, that’s perfectly fine. Sometimes, just getting out of the house and away from your daily routine can make a world of difference. Don’t Be So Stubborn You wouldn’t expect your friends to read your mind, so don’t expect them to know what you’re thinking. Sure, it’s nice to tell your friends what’s on your mind. But there are times when you’re just better off without that, too. Remember the context.
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