10 Things Your True Friends Don’t Do
“If you’re absent during my struggle, don’t expect to be present during my success.”
A person’s belief system is often a direct reflection of who they spend their time with. To ensure a positive social environment built for your success, make sure the people you trust the most aren’t guilty of these ten things true friends don’t do.
1. They don’t gossip behind your back.
They’ll always find out. I repeat, they will always find out. If you don’t want something getting back to your friends that you said, don’t say it. Yes, everyone lets off a little steam about their friends every now and again, but once you start talking about them, you need to be aware of the repercussions.
2. They don’t resort to personal attacks.
True friends aren’t in the business of making you feel bad about yourself. They communicate with words of kindness, not cruelty. They focus on your similarities, not your differences. They speak of your qualities, not your shortcomings.
3. They don’t start pointless arguments.
True friends know that there is nothing less productive than starting an argument you can’t win. “Reading that status update sure made me rethink my entire existence,” said nobody, anywhere, ever. A true friend should be willing to accept a person as they are, whether they agree or not. This isn’t to say you can’t have friends you disagree with (in fact, I highly recommend it as it puts things in perspective). But if you’re going to argue, do so respectfully.
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4. They don’t interrupt your every word.
True friends aren’t so obsessed with themselves that they aren’t interested in how you feel. A fair and balanced friendship can’t exist in a situation where one half does all of the talking and none of the listening.
5. They don’t discourage you from pursuing your goals.
True friends are willing to offer feedback without mincing words if they feel it is necessary for your personal development, but they don’t do so in a condescending or hateful fashion. Instead, they offer constructive, helpful advice that inspires you to become a better version of yourself.
6. They don’t look down on you for your past.
True friends aren’t concerned with your past, no matter how colorful it might be. If you’re courageous enough to reveal a few skeletons living in your closet, a true friend shouldn’t think any less of you; instead, they should offer you comfort and support, expressing an appreciation for your willingness to open up.
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7. They don’t abandon you in social situations.
True friends are emotionally intelligent enough to know that bringing a friend to a party where they don’t know anyone, and then proceeding to throw them to the fishes, is a very inconsiderate thing to do (especially if said friend happens to be an introvert).
8. They don’t get jealous of your success.
True friends don’t waste their time in a pit of jealousy when something good happens to another person. They know it is much more productive to be happy for other people’s success (and maybe even take some notes about how they did it), than it is to be pout and play the “Why didn’t they pick me?” game. Less complaining, more hustling.
9. They don’t judge you or try to “fix” you.
True friends know it’s silly to try to “fix” a person while their own inner-houses are in disorder. You probably wouldn’t do a lot of things your friends do and they wouldn’t do things the way you do them. That’s the point. If we all did things the exact same way our friends did we wouldn’t need them because we could hang out with ourselves. Embrace and respect their differences in their behavior and actions. True friends can admit that they themselves are far from perfect, so it’s a bit absurd to expect anything more from another person. You might not be perfect, but you are good enough, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
10. They don’t take your friendship for granted.
True friends don’t see a relationship as a short-term fling that can be tossed aside when it becomes inconvenient, but rather a long-term commitment of high importance. A friend worth having isn’t only interested in doing fun stuff like drinking Tequila shots, playing miniature golf, watching goofy videos on the Internet, riding roller coasters, lounging on the beach or dancing at the club; they are also willing to help you through difficult times by doing things like supporting you after a death in the family, and encouraging you to put yourself back together after a brutal break-up or unexpected job loss.
