Friends are the cornerstone of our social health, which directly impacts our physical and mental health as well. If you want to have a good friend, the first step is to be one yourself. We have 10 ways to be a great friend to the people in your life that you love the best.
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Spend Time Together
There is simply no substitute for spending time together, so make the time to share a cup of coffee or a meal on a regular basis. If it is hard to find time for socializing, combine your quality time with a constructive activity. Work out together or spend a couple of hours a week working on a hobby you both enjoy.
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Get Ready to Listen
Sometimes you will need to talk to your friend, but many times you will be called on to simply lend an ear. Perhaps your friend is frustrated with her job, kids or husband, or maybe she is experiencing a period of self doubt in her life. Maybe she is going through a particularly challenging circumstance and she just needs an ear to listen to her – and maybe a shoulder to cry on.
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Don’t Make a List
Great friends do not keep track of who made the last call or paid for the last meal. If you feel yourself beginning to get uptight about the inequity in a friendship, analyze the situation to determine if your friend is really trying to take advantage of you. If not, give up the petty score keeping and concentrate on why you like your friend so much.
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Agree to Disagree
Even the best of friends will not see eye to eye on controversial subjects like politics, religion or who should win the Twilight competition. There will be some topics that you will either need to engage in friendly debate about or agree they are off limits to protect your friendship. Don’t let differing points of view cloud what is otherwise a winning combination!
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Be Honest
Good friends never, every lie to one another – ever. They are honest to a fault, although tact is a helpful tool in cushioning truths that may not be received with gusto. If your friend asks you to see a movie and you would rather stay in that evening, simply tell her you aren’t up to an evening out. If you try to make up an excuse, there is always a chance she will find out and resent you for not being straight with her.
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Remember Special Events
Send a card on her birthday or bring by a plate of cookies at Christmas. Commemorate important dates in her life with a note or card when you can. It is also a good idea to remember important little details like her favorite color, author or music. By taking the time to plug these details into your memory bank, you are showing your friend she is valued and loved by you.
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Never Judge
Your best friends should be the one safe place in your life where you don’t have to worry about what they think of your choices. The only time it would be acceptable to call a friend on her behavior is if she is engaging in activity that is harmful to herself or others. That is when a true friend steps in and makes the hard calls.
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Be Ready to Help
Everyone needs a helping hand from time to time, and we should be able to rely on our closest friends to offer them. Whether it is a ride to the airport or a meal when she is sick, those helping hands go a long way in building a truly significant relationship.
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Offer Encouragement
Wouldn’t it be great to have your own personal cheerleader to motivate you and help you press onto your goals? If you are a good friend, that is exactly what you will be doing for your buddy.
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Celebrate and Grieve Together
Life is filled with ups and downs and good friends tend to experience them together. This means you must make time for happy occasions, like weddings and birthday parties, as well as those not-so-happy moments like funerals and hospital stays. Friends stick together through thick and thin because life experiences of all kinds are the material from which great friendships are made.
Being a great friend takes plenty of time, commitment and energy, but guess what? The rewards of building a close, long-lasting relationship are worth every bit of investment into the process. Great friends laugh together, cry together, and most of all, enjoy being together, no matter where they lives may take them.
