14 Essential Rules for Building Lifelong Friendships
Do you ever get just a tad bit envious when you see a bunch of friends hanging out, looking like they’ve never fought? You aren’t the only one; becoming friends is easy, but staying friends for a lifetime is one of the most challenging things. And yet, there are people all over the world who do it. How? We’ll tell you: follow these habits, and you’ll have a friend for life.
Show Up During Tough Times
Friends are supposed to stick through thick and thin, but it’s hard to make time when life has you cornered. In such circumstances, it’s best to keep at least checking up on your friends and ensure you’re there for them when they’re at their lowest. It might not be the easiest, but being there for each other in one’s lowest moments helps you shine and strengthens the bond of a friendship.
Set Boundaries
There’s a skewed perception about friendship; many people believe such relationships don’t have boundaries, but that’s not true. You might be our closest friends, but we’re all persons who deserve their space and boundaries. If something makes you uncomfortable, don’t hesitate to set limits because true friends will be there for you no matter what.
Keep Communication Open
Every relationship comes with many misunderstandings, but your friendship will fizzle if you don’t address them earlier. Addressing issues isn’t only about getting to the bottom of things but also about ensuring you won’t succumb to such misunderstandings again; it’s important to sit down with your friends and talk through any misunderstandings to navigate potential fiascos.
Be Honest
Sometimes, we miss out on hangouts and meetings because of personal commitments or a last-minute change of heart. While it’s easy to lose ourselves in a busy schedule, making excuses or lying about the situation won’t help and will only hurt in the long run. This also applies to every other situation where you lie to a friend; you might think you’re protecting them, but it’ll only ruin the friendship.
Apologize When Wrong
We all make mistakes; it’s what makes us human, but accepting our mistakes, taking accountability for our actions, and apologizing when we know we’re wrong are what make us great friends. If you’re quick to dodge responsibility and aren’t apologizing when you know you’re in the wrong, you’re only setting yourself up for disappointment because your friends won’t want to be with you anymore.
Remember Special Occasions
If there’s one person we can rely on to remember special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries, it’s our friends. While mutual and casual friends might forget special occasions, those who prioritize their friends’ special moments and celebrate life with them bring them closer. It’s not only about remembering but also appreciating and celebrating each other.
Don’t Keep Score
It’s fun to keep score of a few things as a friend, but if you’re taking it too far by tracking every possible achievement and comeback and playing a game of tag, you won’t get far in the friendship. Friendships are supposed to be supportive and embracing; keeping scores only fosters a negative expectation that ruins a friendship.
Keep Secrets
Unless your friend is actively and knowingly interfering with the happiness of others, the secrets they share with you must stay with you. It’s never okay to break someone’s trust, even if it’s something you feel isn’t big enough to stay hidden. Close friends confide in each other because of trust and understanding; spilling their secrets breaks this trust.
Adapt to Changes
We all experience change, whether it’s moving cities, starting a family, or changing a religion. You shouldn’t let changes like this affect your friendship; if you do, you’re only proving you were never a great friend. Adapting to changes and understanding that we’re all going through life at our own pace strengthens the bond of any relationship, especially friendships.
Express Gratitude
Close friends stick through thick and thin, pull us from traumatic situations, and occasionally save us from life-altering events. While your friend might not be doing this to garner attention, a little gratitude will go a long way. If you’re always the friend in need and rarely give back even simple words of appreciation, you’re going to exhaust your friends. Expressing gratitude will make them feel appreciated and bring you closer.
Respect Each Other
Let’s be honest: friends joke about everything with each other, but what sets apart a real friend from “just another friend” is respect. Whether you are alone or in public, it is important to make sure you don’t cross your friend’s boundaries. Being mindful of your words and actions so as not to hurt them is the highest standard of respect in friendship.
Encourage Growth and Self-Improvement
Lifelong friends are each other’s biggest motivators and harshest critics. They have your best interest in mind and always keep it real with you whether you like it or not. Supportive friends ask meaningful questions, offer honest perspectives, and provide emotional support during challenging transitions. They recognize that true friendship means wanting the best for each other, even when that means stepping out of their comfort zones.
Respect Differences
Friends often get along because they share interests, but that doesn’t mean they must agree on everything. We’re all entitled to our opinions and beliefs; having different beliefs doesn’t negate our friendship. If you respect your friends’ differences and keep a healthy distance from them, you won’t put your friendship in peril.
Don’t Overstep
You might be surprised to hear this one because many people believe friendship has no boundaries. But every person and every friendship has boundaries; crossing the line will tarnish your place in your friends’ hearts and ruin the friendship. Never overstep, even if you think you’re helping out.
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This article was first published on the RB ITALIA Blog.
