How to Maintain a Good Friendship

It’s not easy for everyone to make friends. Once you have friends, it takes dedication and work on both parts to keep the friendship going. True friends are hard to find, and lifelong friends can be a rare gem. In order to maintain a good friendship, you will have to take time to nurture and develop your friendship. In order to have a good friend, you have to be a good friend. As soon as you realize that, your friendships will greatly improve!

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Communicate with one another. A friendship, like any other relationship, needs honest communication. Many friends count on each other for advice, a listening ear and just someone to talk with. Keep the lines of communication open, and show that you are a true friend by keeping your word. Refrain from ever spreading each other's business. Always be truthful with one another. and discuss any problems you have in order to make sure your communication doesn’t break down.

2. Provide a listening ear. There will be times when your friend is just looking for someone who will listen to her problems without judging her. Even if you don’t agree with the way she is handling certain things, learn to be a listener.

3. Work at maintaining a two-way street with your friendship. If only one person is attempting to be a good friend, the friendship isn’t going to work. One person can’t carry the entire friendship on her own. It has to be a partnership where both contribute equally. A good friendship is both give and take. If you only take and never give, the friendship will wither and fall apart.

4. Speak up in order to protect your friend. Don’t stand by idly and watch your friend make mistakes. If you think your friend is making a mistake, express your concerns. Be honest about how you feel, but be careful not to berate her. Choose your words carefully, and do not insult her in the process.

5. Try to keep fighting and arguing to a minimum. Naturally there will be times when you disagree with each other, but don’t blow things out of proportion. Instead, try to talk things over and put the situation to rest. Most situations people argue over aren’t worth ending a good friendship over.

6. Never date each other's exes. This is something that can tear a friendship apart. Friends should have enough love and respect for each other to not do things to hurt each other. This includes not dating anyone your friend has previously dated or is currently dating.

7. Be there for each other through good times and bad times. Celebrate each other's successes, and help each other get through failures. Give each other room to grow, and give the friendship room to grow.

Tips & Warnings

• Tread lightly when confronting a friend about her mistakes.
• Don't forget to look at things from the perspective of your friend.