How to be a good Friend

Friendships come and go. Either you grow together or apart. A freindship like any relationship needs nurturing in order to grow and evolve.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Compassion
• Empathy
• Honesty
• Trust
• Integrity

1. Listen. Being an active listener means really paying attention and focusing. Yawning, rolling your eyes or looking up at the ceiling are signs of disinterest. If you are Monopolizing a conversation or babbling on and on about nonsensical matters , you make it all about you. This turns people off, it is another sign that you are not interested in how the other person is doing and you have little interest in what they to say.
2. Be Honest. If they ask you an opinion, give it, without being harsh. Be honest and you will be respected for it. Telling people what they want to hear just to be liked is not being true to them or yourself.
3. Encourage and be supportive. Be happy for their success and achievements do not begrudge them out of jealousy or insecurity. When you can be joyous for others you can be happy within yourself.
4. Don't judge. If you don't like something they are doing or someone they are with, stay out of it. It's not your business. Give advice when asked but do not critisize. No-one lieks it and it is difficult to be responsive to someone who is always judging another. It happens we all have done it time to time but do we really have a right to judge anyone, no we don't. Focus on you not on others, rectify what needs to be corrected in your own life.
5. Don't gossip. Gossiping about people, makes you small minded. It also and gives people the idea that you have an idle mind. Don't say anything to another you wouldn't say directly to the other person face to face. Also, if you are gossiping about someone to a friend, they may feel you gossip about them as well.
6. Share interests. Friendships tend to dwindle and stagnate if your not sharing the same interests. If you like doing things and your freind just wants to sit in and watch tv or go shopping, you need to find a freind who enjoys what YOU enjoy. Quality time is important. If you are not sharing any activities together, this can make the freindship a bit boring.
   People grow apart when interests aren't shared. That's ok , it happens, people change, you move forward, but if you value the person and want them in your life, take some time to make an effort to experience in what they enjoy.
7. Be there. If your friend is upset, needs to cry or vent, maybe talk about their day. Just listen. This doesn't mean you have to be there every single time your freind has a problem and wants to complain to you, that can be draining. But hear them out as they would do for you. It is a two way street.
8. Be trustworthy. If someone confides in you that means to respect what they say as sacred. It doesn't mean to talk about what they just told you to other friends or family members.
9. Have compassion.
10. Do not compromise your integrity. Nobility is hard to come by. If you betray your freind you betray yourself. You are not standing by what you truly feel is right deep in your heart. No matter what, stand by your convictions.
11. Give space. Everyone needs their own space. You do not have to talk everyday or e-mail constantly. You eventually, run out of things to discuss, that could be boring and energy consuming.