How To Be A True Friend

People always come and go in our lives but it does not matter how long-lasting the relationship would be, what matters is whether you devote your heart to it.

We may not be able to control how much people would like to put into a relationship, but we can always control our own effort. Sometimes, people are afraid of doing the wrong thing, which can make the relationship turn bad or even make them seem like they are bad friends.

Often we say and do things with filtering, but because we are sometimes unaware of our own actions and words. We may not notice how terribly we did our job as a friend. We are always told to be ourselves when in a relationship.If we don’t feel comfortable at any point, it can imply that we are not treating the friendship sincerely, thus, we are not a good friend at all, since we are not being truthful by being ourselves.

However, being a good friend does not mean that you can say and do whatever you want without considering the feelings of your friends.

How To Be A Good Friend:

Don’t Spend Time with Your Friends Only When It’s Convenient for You

It can get rough when you need someone to talk to, but you do not have anyone to rely on. That’s why it is always great to have a friend who will be there for you at all times. However, friends are not a tool. You would not want someone to call as a friend, but only finds you when he or she breaks up with their girlfriend or boyfriend or when they fail an exam. Your friend is not your counsellor, but a buddy who is willing to and will be there to share the happy and sad times with you, together.

Treat Your Friend On Occasions

It could simply just be writing them supportive messages or buying them small gifts and treats that they may like. I would be touched if my friend bought me matcha pocky and put it on my table in the library, with a memo pad attached to it. Because they remembered what I like, hoped to encourage me with treats, and did not mind to spend time and money to cheer me up.

Be Honest When Needed

In here, it is not referring to honesty, but instead, to be constructive when necessary. Caring for your friends’ feelings and thinking before you speak are different from not saying anything and letting them harm themselves in the long term. For example, if they start to have a habit of being rude to people, kindly point it out. Let them know that you care about how others would feel about them. Imagine they have a crush on a girl. As a friend, no one would hope to see the girl dislike your friend because your friend is rude to the girl but he is unconscious about that.

Sometimes, some friends may take the initiative to request you to be honest to them. My close friends have asked me a few times for “feedback” before. They asked “What are the things that you dislike about me the most?” When you face similar situations, make sure you do not go overbroad. It is alright to tell them what you truly feel, but do let them know that you recognize their strengths as well and still like them as who they are.

Make Sure To Stay By Their Side During Their Darkest Time

Going hand in hand with the first point, do not help them only when you need them or when they need you; at the same time, do not abandon them when they need you. They may begin to hide their negative emotions and hide from the world, by finding excuses for not going out or hanging out with you. They may even pretend that they are fine. Some people may then miss their signals and did not know that they were actually calling for help. A good friend will keep trying and keep making sure their friends are okay

It is actually not hard to be a good friend. All we need is an open heart and an ear to spare.