Last week I talked about all of the must-haves for a relationship with your romantic mate, but this week I felt that it was just as important to have criteria for establishing friendships. These non-negotiables can apply to everyone because we all need good friends. Try to have your core criteria in mind ASAP because there is always the chance you will meet someone new and interesting. You should have high standards for your friends “because you’re worth it.” Any long-lasting friendship starts with establishing common ground. So, when you make your list, consider what I like to call wants and needs. Wants are what you would like to have, but they aren’t essential to maintaining good friendships while needs are must-haves. It’s all about give and take. Now, here we go, first we’ll start out with Wants!
You want…
- Someone with similar experiences, similar interests, and similar values that you have.
- Your friend to be there for you on a 24/7 basis! We all want constant attention it’s true! Being put first is awesome but…your friends have lives too.
- Friends who have NO DRAMA EVER! (in a perfect world)
- Friends that get along with each other (which kind of goes with no DRAMA)
- Friends that will give you gifts on every holiday (even Easter lol)
- Friends that can help you in your business and personal life (now that’s what I call friends with benefits)
These are just a few things that most of us want, but it’s kind of impossible to have ALL the time. So here are some things that you have to have, and should have to make a friendship last.
You need…
- Friends who accept you for who you are. (And of course you need to accept them too)
- Friends that “tell it like it is”. It’s good for them to be open and honest with you. Lying will only hurt a friendship.
- Friends that will challenge you intellectually (we shouldn’t surround ourselves all the time with people just like us just sayin’)
- Friends who spend time with you when they can and that you genuinely enjoy spending time with on a regular basis.
- Friends that give gifts from the heart! No matter how much the gift costs it’s the thought that counts!
- Friends who are willing to work out differences and make an effort to overcome DRAMA. It’s how you and your friends handle the drama that determines the kind of friendship you have.
This list of wants and needs of course is just a guide. You don’t have to follow this word for word for friendships, but hopefully it gives you a good idea of what the basic needs are in a friendship. I hope you lovely readers enjoy all the great times with old friends and new friends and remember…
THE THINGS THAT YOU WANT IN A FRIENDSHIP DON’T COUNT AS MUCH AS THE THINGS THAT YOU NEED IN A FRIENDSHIP!!