It is worth knowing more about 10 ways to be a good friend. It is also good to appreciate the qualities of good friends as friends help a person pull through difficult times.
Friendships are very important and need to be built to be maintained. Friendships help to cope up with life problems. Our friends can indeed influence one’s choices – where a person lives, what he or she eats, and daily purchases.
Friendships change personality and thought processes. A healthy friendship can do wonders for one’s mental health. People can lead fruitful if they are surrounded by positive thinking friends.
Table of Contents
What are the 10 ways to be a good friend?
1. Choose friends wisely
There is no need to be everybody’s friend. Prefer to be friends with people who can help a person to build up, not tear a person down. Choose friends who can inspire and welcome the person as a friend and not alienate and insult a person. It may not be possible to choose the family a person is born into but it is possible to choose one’s friends.
2. Listen
Listen closely to what the friend is saying. Let that person know that he o she is being listened to. Ask clarifying questions. Summarize what has been heard. It need not always be through words. Eye contact and body language are also equally important ways of showing that the friend is being listened to. Thus, the qualities of good friends are manifold.
3. Respond carefully
Think before you speak – especially so if a person happens to be angry. This often does help in not hurting people and bruise their pride. Speak carefully.
4. Avoid consistently giving advice or trying to fix all of one’s friend’s problems
By all means, if a friend does ask for one’s advice, give it. They could be struggling with a relationship. Perhaps life is involving tough situations and they require support or insight. Do not get involved in every aspect of a friend’s life. Give them space to process things and make their own respective decisions.
5. Play fair- Avoid trying to be one-upping with friends
Eventually, the friendship withers away.
6. Be authentic
Be yourself. Be honest. Avoid putting up a façade. If a person cannot accept another person for what he or she is, then developing a relationship becomes difficult.
7. Avoid hypocrisy
Do not denying one’s beliefs, values, and point of view, for the sake of being accepted. It does mean being a favored person.
8. Communicate openly and honestly
Developing communication with a person does take a while and trust is needed. Ask one’s friends what can be done for them. Share what is being offered. Do not hesitate to ask what is needed. Share what is necessary, but avoid dominating conversation. In case of a problem, work through it together.
9. Accepting friends for who they are
A person may e in search of a person who can accept one’s authentic self and this applies to the other person as well. We all want people who love us for who we are.
10. Respect their choices – It is okay to disagree
Do respect a friend’s choice and let them disagree. The friend may see situations differently. Do step aside. What your friend is doing might be right for their life but not for one’s life though. They might be making a mistake.
Conclusion
Be the kind of friend you want others to be for you. You want friends who are honest, kind, compassionate, fair, not judgmental, authentic, and intelligent. Be that person first and you’ll be more likely to attract that kind of friend into your life.
These happen to be 10 ways to be a good friend.