How Can a Person Identify True Friends
They say you can count true friends with one hand. They’re the people that are always by our side, that listen to us and that brings out the best in us. They’re on an exclusive list of friendship.
However, you have to be careful. Many people will approach you out of interest, so you must learn to differentiate between true friends and those who are not.
In this post, we will talk about what you can do to identify them.
What do true friends do?
For some, it’s easy to identify who are their true friends, and who are only by their side for their own interest or hidden reasons. And that is because true friends demonstrate a number of qualities that not everyone has.
Some of the most common are as follows.
1. Increase your self-esteem
When you’re feeling down, they let you vent, scream, cry or talk for hours. And, in the end, they highlight all of your abilities and positive aspects so that you can feel better.
A good friend is always looking to boost your self-esteem and mood, even in your worse moments. For them there’s no envy, nor will they act out of jealousy.
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2. They’re always there for you
Regardless of your decisions, they are always there to accompany you on the path that you choose, even if they don’t agree with it.
They give you their support through a message, an afternoon together, a hug, or through some gesture, like a gift or card. With them, you know you always have a shoulder to lean on.
3. They always listen to you
This is another one of the main characteristics of true friends. When we say that they “listen to you,” we’re referring to them paying attention to everything that you say, whether it be repetitive, pessimistic, if you are overflowing with happiness, or filled with anger.
True friends can spend hours by your side (or on the other end of the phone) listening to you complain, and they’re confident enough to tell you when you’re being annoying without making you angry.
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4. True friends make you feel comfortable
When you’re with a great friend, it isn’t necessary to pretend to be someone you’re not. When you’re with true friends, you don’t have to fake anything or try to impress them.
With them, you can talk without watching what you say, you can show them who you really are and actually feel comfortable, just like at home, without masks.
5. They help you
When you have to make an important decision and you’re not sure what to do, you probably call your best friend so they can give you their opinion. Knowing what they’d do is important to you.
True friends give us valuable recommendations that come from their perception of the situation. They lend us an ear, their hugs, a hand, and their feet when we need them.
Also, they help us to find ourselves again when we’re feeling a little lost. If things aren’t good, for whatever reason, they’re our “rock.”
6. They make time for you
True friends don’t give us excuses when it comes to spending time together or talking, since they always want to hang out with us.
It’s true that we all have our own obligations, work, and things to do; but you’ll realize that if the friendship is real, that friend will always find time to see you.
Some phrases that true friends use:
- “I have 15 minutes to go for coffee between work and class”
- “I have to go to the doctor. When I leave, I’ll stop by your house to say hi”
- “Don’t make plans for Thursday night, we’re going out to eat”
On the contrary, if someone is always busy, always cancels plans, or always makes it impossible to hang out, it might be that this person isn’t interested in making time for your friendship.
It isn’t anything bad, maybe they’re going through a difficult time. But it’s most likely that you shouldn’t consider this person an unconditional friend.
7. They tell you the truth
It’s very important you surround yourself with people who are honest and sincere. That’s because it doesn’t do you any good to be surrounded by people who only tell you what you want to hear.
If a dress doesn’t look good on you, a real friend will tell you. Just like if they think that your boyfriend/girlfriend isn’t right for you, they won’t be able to hide it. Also, if they think you’re making a bad decision, they’ll be the first to tell you.
Sincerity is very important in a relationship (friendship, partners, at work). Because of that, it’s worth it to have friends that always tell you the truth, even if it hurts.
8. They respect you
True friends don’t “chain” you to them so you’re always by their side. They understand you have other things to do and other people you need to spend time with.
Also, they respect you if you want to be alone, for whatever reason. Respect is very important in a friendship. That includes, among other things, respecting one’s personal space.
9. True friends forgive you
A real friend knows that you’re a human being and that you can make mistakes. Because of that, if you show that you regret something that you said or did, they won’t have any issue forgiving you.
True friendship includes forgiving mistakes, forgiving them from the heart, and prioritizing the great relationship and the time you share.
10. They make you a better person
If you want to give true friends, you have to learn to give. That is because you cannot receive what you are not willing to give. Friendship doesn’t work if only one person is giving an effort.
Both people are responsible for its growth and the development of its emotional ties. In the case of true friends, if you want to keep them by your side, you have to work at it. This means that you can’t always be the one who talks, you also have to listen.
True friends are real treasures
Finally, like them, you have to be respectful and honest, and help them to be a better person. That you have to be by their side in any situation and offer them your point of view to help with their growth.
So, if you have true friends, you’re lucky. And if you’re one of them, you can be sure that your friends will appreciate it.