9 signs of a true friend – discover true friendship

Are you still looking for the Ann Perkins to your Leslie Knope, or the Rory Gilmore to your Lorelai Gilmore? Finding a true friend is hard, that’s no secret.

We all yearn for a comedian to laugh with, a strong shoulder to cry on, and a locked box with whom you can confide your deepest secrets without judgment. Unconditional love and support may seem like a work of fairytale fiction, or yet another thing the movies have lied to us about. However, fear not, because deep, long-lasting friendship is possible.

Here are eight points to aid you along your journey. Whether you have a friend or you’re wondering is your true friend, or are still looking for one.

1. They Really Listen to You

Number one, they really listen to you. Have you ever felt like the other person is simply waiting for you to finish talking so they can begin? What a true friend doesn’t say is, oh, shucks, that sucks, But wait until you hear about what happened to me. Or, that’s not as bad as what I’m going through. A true friend will know when you need to be the one talking. They offer their sympathies, advice or a shoulder to cry on, emotional support, or anything else they can. However, they still talk about themselves to you, because after all, it’s perfectly fine to do so.

2. They’re Honest with You

Number two, they’re honest with you. Have you ever heard the saying, better to be slapped by the truth than caressed by a lie? A very true friend must have coined that. Because that’s what they do on a daily basis. Whether it’s about something a friend doesn’t agree with you on or something that happened without you knowing, a true friend will tell you regardless, even if it may be hard to hear. A true friend will know that you deserve to hear the truth. The way they’ll tell you varies depending on the person as some people are blunt, or other subtler, but in the end, they will tell you no matter what.

3. They Like You for Who You Are and Respect Your Boundaries

Number three, they like you for who you are and respect your boundaries. Have you ever felt someone pushing you too far too fast? While expanding your horizons and trying new things is a great thing. Some friends may, for example, not want to spend a quiet night in, so they might push you to go out to a party or gathering you don’t really want to go to. Opposites may attract, but a true friend won’t try to change you to their liking. They’ll respect what you want, and what you don’t want. And they’ll respect you as a person overall. After all, each other’s comfort levels are one of the biggest things to consider in a friendship.

4. They’ll Genuinely Support You

Number four, they’ll genuinely support you. Do you ever feel like a friend is secretly jealous of you. They may talk you out of doing things they do under the guise of helping you or they might not truly be happy for you when good things happen to you. If someone is bringing you down when they should be lifting you up. Chances are they aren’t really your friend. A true friend will unconditionally love and support you without thinking.

5. They’ll Be There for You Through Both Good Times and Bad Time

Number five, they’ll be there for you through both good times and bad times. Do your friends feel like they’re only there when you’re having fun and it’s convenient for them? A true friend will support you, even when it may not be convenient. They won’t make you feel bad or like a burden for needing help. Instead, they’ll shower you in love and support which everyone needs from time to time.

6. They Prioritize You and Put Effort into the Friendship

Number six, they prioritize you and put effort into the friendship. Have your friendships faded away due to different life paths and obligations? For example, you used to be best friends with someone in 10th grade, who you shared a schedule with. Come 11th grade when you ended up with no classes together, you drifted apart. This is especially the case during transitional points in your life, such as a new grade level school or job. But with a true friend even when life may separate you, they’ll always make an effort to maintain the friendship and spend time with you.

7. They Know and Remember Things About You

Number seven, they know and remember things about you. Obviously no one has got superhuman memory. But a true friend will remember things about you and pick up on your little habits over time. It may even go deeper than little facts like your pet’s name or that you secretly cheated in the fourth grade. Once your friendship grows, a true friend may know more things about you than you remember telling them.

8. They Don’t Take Advantage of You

Number eight, they don’t take advantage of you. Do you have a friend who keeps track of all the things they’ve done for you to guilt trip you when they want something? Or by pushing your niceness to its limits? We all want to be kind to our friends. But there is a stark difference between being nice and being taken advantage of. If you find yourself doing all the giving in a friendship and it’s taking a major toll on you. Chances are you may need to reevaluate your friendship.

9. Emotional and physical availability

A true friend will always be available for you physically and emotionally as well. A true friend will alway prioritize you over him/herself. But we also have some misunderstandings and misconceptions about friends’ availability. Many think that if our friend is not meeting us daily then they are not our friends, but it is not true, there are thousands in the world, who meet only a week or a month but they are worth thousands of friends. Friendship is not about meeting and gathering daily and chill, friendship is about when your friend needs you, you will be there for him and her. No matter where you live and who you are, Once said “A friend in need is a friend indeed”.

In a world where it seems like everyone is trying to gain something from you, instead of being a real friend, true friends are hard to come by. But don’t lose hope. Because like most things in life, finding true friends requires work and a little bit of luck. Once you do find one, your friendship is sure to flourish, and they’ll make your life unimaginably better. Perhaps a true friend is right around the corner. We hope we were able to give you a little insight into some of the ways you can identify a true friend.