How To Be A Good Friend
How To Be A Better Friend
Life is better with friends. That is the understatement of the year.
We all need healthy friendships in our lives. Yep, it is not just a want. It is a need!
Let’s talk about how to be a good friend!
There is just nothing like having someone in your corner. Someone you can talk to about anything and laugh with about everything. A person who really knows you. A person who is there for you through this wild ride called life.
Looking to up your friendship game? Yeah, me too!
Are you a good friend? Have you ever asked yourself this question?
No one has ever told me I was a bad friend. Then again I don’t think most people would tell someone that anyway. But I do like to think about the kind of friend I am.
What can I say? I love to dive deep into everything. I could literally talk for hours about anything personal development. (Check out these self- help books I can’t get enough of).
This is all about looking at the kind of friend you are and the kind of friend you want to be.
Here Are 7 Tips on How to Be a Good Friend
1) Listen
Have you ever looked back on a conversation and not remembered much of what was said? I think we have all been guilty of this at some point. I know I have.
This does not make us monsters. This makes us human.
Hearing something and listening are two very different things. And we have all had that feeling when we know someone is not really dialed into what we are saying. Does it feel good? Heck to the no!
It is so important to be present.
And listening also means knowing when your feedback is not always wanted or needed. Just being an ear for someone is a magical gift.
2) Put Your Phone Down
OK, I think most of us would say we spend a decent amount of time looking at our phones. I know my phone is in my hands way more often than it should be. I’m a work in progress.
Our friends should not have to compete with the internet.
Do you ever feel like you check your phone and you don’t even know why? I do this all the time. It is just like second nature to look at my dang phone.
The person in front of you is way more interesting than anything your phone has to offer. Make sure you are treating them that way!
3) Make Time
We are busy. Everyone is busy. We all know how it is. But I think busy is a very overused word. People will get sick of hearing the “I’m so busy” line.
I truly believe you make time for the things you want to make time for.
This is not to take away from a full plate. And this does not mean you have to see each other three days a week or you aren’t really friends.
But try your best to make time for friends when you can. Does this take effort? Definitely! But you have to water your friendship plant.
I know seeing my BFF does amazing things for my mental health. Chit chatting with a friend is my form of a therapy session.
4) Send a Nice Text
Life happens. Time literally seems to fly by sometimes. You may not get to see your friends as often as you’d like to. If it has been a little bit, send a text.
Just a little something to show that you are thinking of them.
This is something that takes less than a minute! Even during an extremely busy season, you can make time for this.
5) Be There
Friendship is about being there. And not just physically there in front of them. Being someone your friends can rely on.
Someone they know will be there no matter what. They don’t have to question it. They just know.
Being reliable is a beautiful thing.
This also means sharing triumphs and struggles. It is one thing to be there for the good stuff. But what about the times when the struggle bus has made its rounds.
It sounds like such a simple thing. Just be there. But it goes to an entirely new level when the sh*t hits the fan.
6) Be Their Safe Place
You know those friends you can tell anything to? Let’s be real, those deep connections are rare. It feels great to be that for someone.
To be the person they feel safe sharing the deep stuff with. Be the person who gets to see the reality behind the nice Instagram photo.
7) Push Them
Be a cheerleader. Be in their corner. Just be that person that is there during the tough times or the scary times to do a couple of high kicks. Show them that they have someone rooting for them.
Encourage them to live their best life.
I think those really good friends can call you on your bullsh*t too. Honesty for the win!
As we get older and lives become busier, it takes effort to make our friendships thrive.
Friends are like medicine. The best kind of medicine. Nothing like the horrid cough syrup my mom used to make me take!
The older I get the more I realize that having a ton of surface friends is not for me. Give me the deep stuff. The friends who know things. You know what I mean! They know THINGS.
Good friends are hard to find. So if you have some make sure to treat them like the magical creatures they are.
Got any tips on how to be a good friend? Drop a comment!
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