10 Ways to Be a Good Friend
Did you think being a good friend is easy enough? Think again. If that were the case, the world would be full of good friends and one would sometimes never feel the need of a family. There’s no clear definition of what a good friend should be like, but it’s through unspoken words that generations have understood what good friends actually are. We will help you to know and understand the deep meaning of being a good friend. Given below are the ways to be a good friend.
1. Be yourself
This is the most important fact to remember before you even think of starting a friendship. You need to be yourself – your real self and not pretend to be someone else. This will ensure that your friends like you the way you are. You don’t want to be liked for someone you’re not, right? Don’t be friends with someone just because you want to be popular like them or connect to their network. That’s opportunistic, not friendly.
2. Be thoughtful and listen
Everyone needs to be heard out. If your friend calls you in the middle of the night, hear what they’ve got to say rather than jumping on their nerves for calling you so late. Also, sometimes their talk may turn boring or awkward, but learn to overlook that. That’s the true meaning of a good friend. You give them the space that they have a right to.
3. Show respect
Showing respect to your friend means listening to them, but not necessarily agreeing with them. Everyone has different opinions on various things in life. So respect the views or the decisions that your friend makes. Don’t judge them by their views about something. Everyone has the right to be different.
4. Help them
Helping your friend is an essential factor in being a good friend. You shouldn’t be backing off when it comes to help your friend. If they’re too drunk at a party, offer or insist if need be to drive them home safely. Help them if they ask for your advice in an exam or suggest someone better than you, if you’re not able to help them.
5. Be trustworthy
If a friend shares a secret with you – the most horrible or painful secret of their life – then they trust you a lot. Don’t ever break that trust by telling their secret to someone else and making fun of it. You will never be trusted again by that friend in your life.