How to Be a Good Friend
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How to Be a Good Friend
Being a good friend isn't always easy, but taking the time to nurture a lasting friendship is worth every ounce of effort. Good friendships provide strength, happiness, and meaning in ways that social media or striving for popularity cannot. All true friendships are built on mutual trust and support, so whether you’re looking to make new, quality friendships or improve your existing ones, there are things you can do to be a good friend to other
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How to Be a Good Friend |
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How to Be a Good Friend |
Being Trustworthy
1):Keep your promises:
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How to Be a Good Friend |
Don't ever make a promise that you can't keep–or at least don't make a habit of it. If you say you'll hang out with a friend and a legitimate conflict arises, explain the situation. If you just cannot go, give your friend a gift and tell him or her sorry. Nobody's perfect, and it's okay if you have to break a promise once in a blue moon, but don't make it a regular thing. If this is recurring over time, then you will probably be seen as untrustworthy. If you promised a friend something important, keep your promise and don't risk the loss of a friend.[1]
When y
ou make a serious promise, look at your friend in the eyes and speak slowly to show that you mean it instead of just saying it because you think that you should. Do not break any such promise, as that will hurt your friend. It might even break your friendship!
2):Be dependable:
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How to Be a Good Friend
Being dependable is one of the most important aspects of being a good friend. Your friend will need you for support, especially in hard times. Nobody wants to be friends with someone who actually isn't interested in them. It's hard to rely on a person who doesn't behave in a consistent and trustworthy way. We all know well-intentioned but flaky people who say, "Okay, I will..." but never follow through. If that's you, know that you're eroding your friends' trust; eventually, they'll stop believing what you say.[2]
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How to Be a Good Friend
If you're not sure you can do something, don't agree to do it and flake out later. Instead, be honest about the fact that you're not sure if you can make it.
Your friends should always feel like they can count on you, even when the going gets tough. If you're only there for the fun times, you'll be no more than a fair-weather friend.
3):Apologize:
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How to Be a Good Friend |
when you've made a mistake. If you want your friends to trust you, then you can't act like you're flawless.
.When you say sorry, you should mean it. Let your friends hear the sincerity in your voice instead of thinking that you don't care how they feel. You should also mean it, take the time to explain to your friend the misunderstanding or how you feel bad and want to fix your relationship.
4):Allow yourself to be honest and vulnerable.
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How to Be a Good Friend
If you want to be a good friend and to have people trust you, then you have to be honest about your feelings, about your friends' actions, and about how you feel about your friendship.
.Being honest is different from being so blunt that you're hurting your friends. If you think your friend has a drinking problem, for example, then you owe it to your friend to start a conversation about it. But if you think your friend looks kind of weird in her new dress, you may want to keep your mouth shut.
.Be real. Connect with people whom you value on a deep level if you want to have sustainable, long-term friendships. Invest in people you can be yourself around. If your behavior lacks sincerity, your friendship won't last. Be honest about how you really feel even if you think your friend might disagree.
5 ):Disagree with your friend in a respectful way.
When a friend shares something that you find objectionable or simply so not agree with their opinion, it’s okay to say so! Let your
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How to Be a Good Friend
Friend know what you think and why. Just make sure that you are being respectful when you share your point of view.
.If you start to feel upset, take a moment to notice these feelings and any physical response you are having as well.
.Try to approach the situation with curiosity and a desire to learn more about your friend’s perspective.
.Speak your mind directly and be brave when you do so. It is not easy to oppose a friend, especially if they do or say something hateful or mean-spirited.
6 ):Don't use people.
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How to Be a Good Friend |
If one of your friends suspects that you're just using them, then they'll drop you like a hot potato. Good friendships don't arise from hoping someone else's popularity or networks will rub off on you.
.And if you have a reputation of using people, then new people won't be too excited to start a friendship with you.
.A friendship is about giving and taking. Sure, it may be convenient that one of your friends gives you a ride to school every day, but make sure that you do something for that friend in return.
7. Be loyal.
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How to Be a Good Friend |
.If your friend tells you something in confidence, keep it and don't talk about it with anyone else, just as you'd expect your friend to do for you.
.Part of being loyal is understanding the importance of a long-lasting and stable friendship. Don't throw all that away just to spend all your time hanging out with your new boyfriend or girlfriend or a cool new person you just met. Remember that your friends might feel left out.
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How to Be a Good Friend
.If you have a reputation for being a blabbermouth or a gossip, then your friends will quickly find out and they'll be hesitant to reveal anything personal to you in the future -- or even to spend much time with you at all.
8 ):Be respectful.
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How to Be a Good Friend |
How to Be a Good Friend
Good friends show respect for each other by being openly and mutually supportive. If your friend has certain values and beliefs that don't align with your own, respect his or her choices and be open to hearing more about them.
.Sometimes your friend will say things that you find boring, uncomfortable or
annoying, but if you have respect for your friend, you'll give your friend the space to speak, and to do so without judgment.
.During times when you don't see eye to eye with your friend, disagree respectfully and be willing to see things differently.
