I don’t know about you, but I have had my fair share of bad friends. There’s the one “friend” who loves to gossip (including about you), the “friend” who only has time for you when she needs something, the “friend” who makes you feel bad about yourself… and well, you get the point. The list of awful “friends” we’ve all had goes on and on and on. After encountering far too many of my own, I decided to really think about what makes a friend a good friend. I thought about the traits that my truest friends had and the traits that my worst “friends” lacked. Here’s what I came up with.
A good friend is trustworthy.
Far too often I’ve found myself in friendships where I feel like I can’t be honest and open because I’m not sure what that said “friend” will tell others. However, a good friend is someone that has been tried and true tested with your dreams, fears, secrets, etc. A good friend is someone who you trust without a doubt.
A good friend is happy for you in your triumphs.
Humans are jealous creatures. We always want what someone else has and that can manipulate and ruin a friendship quickly. A good friend is someone who is proud of you when you make an awesome grade on your calculus exam or when you get into an important organization, not someone that is insincere in congratulating you or belittles what you did.
A good friend is not judgmental.
If your “friend” ever mocks you or puts you down when you’re happy and being yourself, this person isn’t your friend. A good friend embraces all aspects of you, and doesn’t make you feel annoying when you’re acting silly or like you’re an awful person when you talk about making a mistake. This trait is the utmost importance in creating a foundation for a good friendship.
A good friend keeps in touch with you.
In some cases, it’s understandable to get out of touch with friends, but if you seem to be the only person in your friendship making an effort to reach out, then this “friend” may no longer be worth your time. A good friend will always eventually get back to you, if not reach out to you in the first place.
A good friend is dependable.
I’ve had plenty of friends that decide to jump ship and leave me in the dust if things in my life change or happen. A good friend will be there for you despite circumstance.
A good friend appreciates you.
I feel like this trait is really important in a friendship. I have had plenty of friendships where I invested a lot of time and effort to really be a good friend and that person either never returned the favor or took me for granted. Being appreciative of someone means that you let them know how grateful you are for all that they do, and this is something that should always be reciprocated.