How to Be a Better Friend

Often, in a relationship, there comes a time, when one feels the need for something more than what is there. A little more trust and a little more love can go a long way in improving situations and make each other feel better and come closer. Friends, who have been together since a long time, tend to take each other for granted and drift away. To ensure that does not happen, you need to take a few steps on your part to make the relationship work. Once you start working on to improve it, you will automatically see reciprocation. In order to be a better friend, you need to work in different ways to make your relation last forever. Here are some tips on how to become a better friend.

Tips for Being a Better Friend

Honesty and being real with your friend is what comes first. Why be someone you are not? A true friend will like you the way you are and accept you that way. If you have to change and portray yourself as someone else to create an impression, that is not friendship. Be realistic and honest and you will be liked for what you are, rather than what you are not.
Loyalty comes next in the list. Friends need to have that confidence in each other, which will come through loyalty. If your friend confides something in you and expects you to keep it a secret, then you should. Going out and announcing that information to everyone will ruin your friendship completely. You need to be loyal to your friends to keep them with yourself.
Respect is another thing that should not be compromised upon. True, friends need not be formal with each other or respect like the way they do their parents. By respect, what is implied is the fact that one should respect each other’s views, ideas, beliefs and privacy. There is a certain boundary of privacy that must not be crossed.
Watch out for your friend at all times. Be it at party if he/she gets drunk or at a game if he/she gets hurt or even in daily life. Don’t allow your friend to fall in bad company or indulge in something that you think might be potentially bad. However, in case your friend confides in you about something that may be dangerous like drug abuse or thoughts of depression and suicide, don’t keep it within yourself. Seek help immediately and inform at least one elder family member.
Stand up for your friend at any cost. Even if your friend is wrong about something, don’t advice or pinpoint it in front of everyone. Rather, explain it to your friend patiently when both of you are alone. If you see someone else saying something bad about your friend trying to hurt him/her in any way, don’t wait to speak up.
Being there for your friend is very important. Simple gestures like a surprise morning call for wishing good morning or simply giving them a hug will remind them of the fact that you are real close to each other. Sit with them when they need you, listen when they have something to say, support them if they cry and want to feel loved and show them they are special.
Never ever be judgmental about your friend. He/she might have own views about certain things in their life. You are not here to impose rules and judgments on them and tell them that things need to be done your way. If they need advice, be ready to give suggestions, but in a way that it doesn’t lead them to believe that you want them to do as you say. Give breathing space to your friend.

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