In our last blog post, we talked about creating a space where a healthy relationship can grow. We looked at the following quote from a post on Baggage Reclaim:
“Even if we focus on a person’s good points, we will always deal with the consequences of them coming as a full package.”
We can look at this same quote when thinking of how to establish grounds for a strong friendship. A good friend brings joy to your life; they help you celebrate in good times, support you in bad, reduce stress, and give you a sense of purpose.
The simplest way to create a strong friendship is to consider the following: treat your friends as you would like to be treated. It’s important to communicate, listen, and be there for your friend in the happy moments and in their time of need.
A healthy friendship is nurturing, trusting, honest, and supportive. All friendships experience highs and lows. There will be misunderstandings and differences of opinions, but most of the time, they can be worked through or overlooked. When there is honesty and communication in a friendship, problems can be worked through and compromises can be made. Forgiveness is key to any relationship.
And remember, nobody is perfect. A friend comes as a full package—good parts and bad. It’s sometimes easy to forget that you, too, have both good and bad characteristics. A good friendship works both ways; it’s important to love and be loved. It’s when a friendship brings you more pain than happiness that you have to consider whether you have a true friend or not.
How do you know if you should accept your friend or rid yourself of them? Consider these questions:
- Do they take and take whereas you only seem to give?
- Can they be trusted with your secrets?
- Do they bring out the worst in you?
- Do they constantly insult you?
- Do they respect you and your family?
- Are they dependable and supportive of you?
Choose your friends wisely. Spend your time with people who build you up, inspire you, and live the kind of life you want to live.
If you have any questions about this blog post, please don’t hesitate to comment or reach out. To set up an appointment to see Reka, you can reach her at 402-881-8125. You can also email her at reka@omaha-counseling.com, or connect with her via Twitter or Facebook.
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photo credit: blondinrikard via photopin cc
