We all understand the importance of having a best friend you can count on. But what are the qualities you should look for in friends? How can you tell if a person is being genuine and sincere? Here are a few traits to keep an eye out for.
Someone Who Listens
We all need someone who can listen to our problems and worries. It’s proven that we feel better after voicing the things that are bothering us. This is when a best friend who is a good listener will come into play. Sometimes we don’t need advice, we just need someone to make us feel heard. A good best friend will do that for you.
Someone Who Understands You
A best friend needs to be able to understand your points of view. This does not necessarily mean that your best friend needs to have known you for a very long time, they simply need to understand the way you think, process emotions, and cope. If they understand these things about you, they will be able to reason with you and offer new perspectives.
Someone Who Is Available For You
Availability in a best friend looks different for every relationship. Sometimes friendships rely on emotional availability whereas others count on physical availability. Physical availability could be anything from canceling an appointment to see you to helping you move by unloading trailers full of your stuff or watching your pet while you’re away. Emotional availbility on the other hand, means that they are willing to open up to you in the same way you can with them. No matter the type, mutual availability is key in any solid friendship.
Someone Who Accepts You
If someone is your best friend, they are going to accept you for who you are, flaws and all. If someone is trying to make you change in ways you are not comfortable with, it might be that they are not best friend material. In that same vein, a best friend can watch you grow as a person and even grow with you! They will be happy for you when you make positive changes in your life and will accept you for the new person you have become.
Someone Who Is Trustworthy
It goes without saying, a best friend keeps your secrets and doesn’t betray your trust. Even if there is something you haven’t specifically told them not to repeat, a best friend will know what they can and cannot tell other people. This sort of trust can also manifest itself as discretion. That is, choosing what to say to you and about you while not disclosing anything that would hurt your feelings or your reputation.