What It Means To Be A 'Good Friend'
Saturday, September 12, 2015
The older I get, the more I start to realize that there are two types of friends out there- the good and the not-so-good. I've also noticed that most of the time, the not-so-good friends think they're the best friends to ever exist.
“I want to be around people that do things. I don’t want to be around people anymore that judge or talk about what people do. I want to be around people that dream and support and do things.” -Amy Poehler
I think that what it means to be a 'good friend' changes as we get older. Like, when you're 6, a good friend is someone who lets you cut in line for recess and shares their pudding at lunch. When you're 15, a good friend is someone who studies with you and invites you to the mall. When you're in your twenties (where I currently find myself), a good friend starts to be a more serious business. In my opinion, being a good friend in your twenties (which those science folk are now referring to as 'emerging adulthood') is all about support. A good friend is someone who supports you on every level- emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and occasionally physically if you've got friends who tend to trip a lot.
Here are my 'Top Three Tips For Being A Crazy Good Friend':
1. Be Available
Obviously, everyone has times in their life that are super busy with work or school or dating. But the key to being a good friend, is to make time when someone needs you. So your friend is having an issue with a co-worker? Talk to her on the phone for 5 minutes. Your other friend needs help deciding what to wear to a job interview? Swing by on the way home and help her pick out her cutest top. In ten years, will you really look back and regret the half hour of sleep you lost that day because you were busy being a kick-ass friend? The answer is no.
2. Be Genuine
Good intentions are a necessity in a good friend. Selflessness. Do things for your friends because you really love them, and you really want to make them happy, and you really want to help.
*Bad Friend Sign: when people do these things, but do them for the wrong reasons.
3. Be A Cheerleader
So maybe you weren't on the team in high school, but this type of cheerleading requires a lot less pom-pom action. This just means that you should always lift your friends up instead of bringing them down. You should always try to help shape each other into the best versions of yourselves.
Having a solid support system and a source of good advice and inspiration is something everyone needs when they're struggling through adulthood. Be a good friend- support the people you care about, help each other grow, and every once in a while just sit around eating junk food and drinking cheap wine- it's good for the soul.
Chelsea Totten
Talk Pretty To Me
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