It seems like you have reached that point in your life where you think how easier it was to make friends when you were younger. You only had to approach another kid at the playground and ask if he or she wants to play in the sandbox with you and that’s it. It didn’t matter what they look like, what they’re wearing, if they’re popular or not, or you had the same taste in music.
But now, as a full-grown adult, it’s not so easy to make new connections, let alone knowing if it’s worthy to keep it going. Let’s say you have a friend, you hang out a lot, and have a lot of things in common, but how do you know that your friend is someone worth keeping in your life?
Luckily for you, we have listed ten awesome signs for you to look out for and help you see that your friend is indeed worth keeping:
1. He speaks highly of you to others.
An awesome friend is someone who’s not shy to tell his other friends about you and even speak of you in high regard. This means that he enjoys your company and he respects you as an individual as well. He never talks bad about you because he values friendship and he is not that person.
2. She listens to you and understands.
She’s a keeper if she knows how to listen and to understand. It’s not enough that she lends her ear, but she gives out her thoughts or opinions as well. She’s not being pushy by doing this, but she cares about you and she knows that you value her enough to hear what she has to say.
3. He gets all of your inside jokes.
The moment you look at each other to share an inside joke is the moment that you know this person is going to be your friend for a very long time. Humor is the number one building block in every friendship and without this, the relationship can’t go on. If you’re comfortable enough to share many personal and inside jokes with your friend, then he’s surely worth having around.
4. She’s not afraid of a debate.
When we say a debate here, we don’t mean in a courtroom with a complete set of rules. Instead, she’s not afraid of getting into arguments with you because she knows that you both can handle it well like real adults. She’s not afraid of pushing her horizons of knowledge with you and acknowledging her faults when she is wrong.
5. He respects your personal space.
As a true friend, he doesn’t have the need to hang with you all the time, instead, he highly values and gives you your personal space. You may not talk to each other for weeks and it won’t matter to him because the next time you see each other, it’s as if you’ve only hung out yesterday. People like these are those who you don’t have to impress to keep around.
6. She defends you against fake people.
You should always keep a friend whom you know defends you in your absence. Just because you’re not there, doesn’t mean she stops being your friend. When she hangs out with a group of people and someone talks poorly about you, she’s there ready to defend and then quickly tells you about it afterward – that’s loyalty right there.
ALSO READ: 10 Ways to Avoid Fake People
7. He is there when you need him.
Got a flat tire? Short on your grocery bills this month? Need a lift to a nearby town? Don’t worry because he’s there to lend you a hand. Friends worth keeping are those who know how to help their friends in times of need and who would never hesitate to go the extra mile to lend a hand.
8. She tells you like it is.
It’s easy to mistake honesty with rudeness because a friend can be honest but at the same time rude and can make you feel let down. Never allow yourself to feel put down by another person who masks this as just “being honest” because that’s not what a true friend would do. A friend worth keeping is someone who will keep it real, tell you as it is, but at the same time not make the effort to offend you.
9. He knows you like the back of his hand.
He knows your birthday, remembers your first date, that time you went skateboarding at the park and didn’t tell your mom, in other words, he basically knows everything about your life! He shares these memories with you as if you are his brother and even treats you like one. He makes the effort to involve you in his life just like the way you’re involving him in yours.
10. She has your back no matter what.
The last sign to look for in a worthy friend is someone who has your back in every situation no matter what. Whether there’s a group of people ganging up on you, your boyfriend left you for another girl, or you’re feeling awful, she will be there with a tissue and some jokes. She is your reliable friend, you know you can depend on her, and you will.
Friendship is the very component of human life, without it, we will cease to survive and exist. We form many kinds of friendships throughout our life at any age, any stage, and in any situation. This is the beating heart of every human relationship. It’s amazing how we form a bond with other people and even other species!
When we’re lucky enough, we find people who are amazing and who are worth keeping in our lives. But in times when are not that lucky, we may find ourselves deceived, hurt, and in pain from others. The important thing to remember here is how we pick up ourselves every time and move on.
We must maintain a positive outlook for humanity and to never lose hope that there are people out there who are kind and good enough to be our friends.
ALSO READ: 20 Signs You’ve Found Your Best Friend Forever
