What makes a good friend?

Having good friends who love and support you for who you are is really important for your happiness.

According to studies, the higher the quality of your relationships, the happier you will be. As a result, being a wonderful friend to someone and having friends who support you is beneficial to your health. But what makes a good buddy, exactly?

In your life, friends will come and go. The most crucial aspect of your friendships, no matter how long they continue, is your friends’ acceptance of you for who you are. A good friend acts in accordance with their words and demonstrates their concern by their actions, both large and small. 

A good friend:

• is there for you, no matter what
• doesn’t judge you
• doesn’t put you down or deliberately hurt your feelings
• is kind and respectful to you
• is someone whose company you enjoy
• is loyal
• is trustworthy and willing to tell you the truth, even when it’s hard for you to hear
• laughs with you
• sticks around when things get tough
• makes you smile
• is there to listen
• comforts you when you cry.

You feel better when you have nice friends. 

Friends who are happy for you say and do things that make you feel good, such as complimenting you and congratulating you. 

Good buddies help each other out. 

If you’re having a bad day, a good friend will be there for you. If you need assistance, a good friend will try to assist you. 

Good friends don’t always agree on everything. 

Everyone is unique, with unique hobbies and interests. Even if you don’t share the same interests, a good friend would support you rather than criticise you for preferring a different band, activity, TV show, or animal! A good buddy recognizes that you need to do your own thing from time to time and appreciates doing the things you share in common with you.

Good friends listen

A good friend allows you to talk and doesn’t interrupt you. They’re interested in what you have to say.

Good friends are trustworthy

If you tell a good friend something private, they won’t share it. You can trust a good friend not to be judgmental.

Good friends deal with disagreements in a courteous manner and respect each other’s boundaries. 

You and your friend might disagree on things from time to time. You may have said or done something that has irritated your friend. If you’ve done something to hurt someone, a good friend will tell you. If you inform a good friend that they have wronged you, they will apologise and promise not to do it again. 

Friendships are mutually beneficial. 

It’s hardly a good friendship if one of you spends all of their time talking and the other spends all of their time listening. Instead of one buddy receiving all the compliments and the other offering them all the time, good friends help each other feel good. You’re helping each other feel terrific in a good friendship! 

Having a group of friends

Don’t limit yourself by having just one “best friend”. Your friendship is something special which you can share with everyone who needs a friend! Sometimes friends drift apart or fall out. That’s a part of life. Having more than one friend means it’s more likely there will be someone who can help you when you need it. See our guide to making new friends to find new people in your life to share friendship with.

Friends not followers

In the digital world you can feel under pressure to have a lot of friends and followers. Remember that you only need a small circle of friends to be happy, and it’s a good idea to keep your most precious (and private) thoughts and moments for those that really care about you.

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