A healthy friendship is that one part of life that most people take for granted. This not only applies to friendships, but relationships in general. When you start to looking at friends you meet long-term, it is easy to know whether or not that person will be around for long.
The same way you approach dating for potential life-long partners. You should also look potential life-long friendships in the same instance.
Safe Spaces
It’s essential that you create a space for your circle to feel vulnerable. A judge-free zone is the core to a healthy friendship. Making someone comfortable to share themselves with you no matter what is creating a safe space. Safe spaces are important because they open the opportunity to share and express oneself without the fear or being ridiculed or judged.
Accountability
Being able to hold each other accountable no matter how they may feel, is critical for a genuine, adult friendship. According to Investopedia, accountability is the acceptance of responsibility for one’s own actions. Being able to hold someone to their actions, whether right or wrong. That’s when you know when there is respect in the friendship…when there is ample room for accountability.
Support
One thing I’ve learned is not being there for someone when they need you can very hurtful. Whether you realize it or not…support is something we as humans need. Let your friend know that they have your full support, and ACTUALLY be supportive. Lift them up, be that shoulder to cry on, let them share their feelings with you. Support is being there for one another whenever they need you, through the good and bad.
Trust
I think it’s safe to say that this goes for any relationship. Without trust, you don’t have a foundation to build on. To be able to depend on your friend to be honest, to be yourself around, you can share your dreams, thoughts and secrets without feeling judged.
Now, of course trust is something that has to be built. Communication, honesty, and time builds trust for a lasting, healthy friendship. I can’t imagine a healthy friendship without trust.
Love
Love one another. Cherish one another. Care for them, and want the best for them. Love is such a strong feeling for a person, and of course, you have compassionate love and romantic love. For a platonic, healthy friendship to be genuine, there must be compassion.
Discernment
Being able to discern genuine friends from those that aren’t so genuine. Discernment is the ability to judge well. A core process in weeding the good from the bad. Unfortunately, people come with ulterior motives or some people just weren’t raised to be good people. Its up to you to decide whether a person is a good friend to have around or someone who may put you in an uncomfortable situation.
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