To say what an ideal friend is is not the easiest thing to do. Each person has his or her own perception of what one would be. However, speaking generally, there are certain attributes that most people deem characteristic of an ideal friend. Loyal, trustworthy, open to show weakness, caring, reassuring, and inspiring are common qualities that the majority of people attach to ideal friends.
Loyalty is a usual attribute given to ideal friends. According to Psychology Today, âLoyalty is valued early on in all of our relationships, from the time we make our first friendships. We need friends who wonât spill our secrets to others, gossip about us, or allow others to criticize usâ (âThe 13 Essential Traits of Good Friendsâ). The worst action between friends is double crossing one individual, or not keeping oneâs word.
Also in the vein of loyalty, ideal friends are usually referred as being trustworthy. In a statement by Psychology Today, they say that, âTrustworthiness is often the âmake or breakâ element in any interpersonal relationship. Any breach, regardless of perceived magnitude, can devastate a relationship. Trustworthiness is comprised of several components, including honesty, dependability, and loyalty, and while each is important to successful relationships, honesty and dependability have been identified as the most vital in the realm of friendshipsâ (âThe 13 Essential Traits of Good Friendsâ). In light of this, a ubiquitous pet peeve of friends is a lack of honesty, and this is at the heart of being trustworthy.
In line with being honest is also the capacity to show oneâs weaknesses. According to the Book of Life, âThe ideal friend doesnât try to prove how robust and successful they are; on the contrary, quite often they let us know awkward and potentially embarrassing things about themselves. They show how much they trust us by confessing failings and sorrows which would open them up to possible humiliation from the world beyond. They offer us the gift of their vulnerabilityâ (Cotton, Jess). That openness is treasured, as to be close to an individual, one must be willing to share his or her true feelings and states.
Caring is the essence of love, many say. In the words of ReachOut.com, âFriends will come and go in your life, but more important than how long your friendships last is your friendsâ acceptance of you for who you are. A good friend walks the talk and shows that they care by their actions â big and smallâ (âWhat Makes a Good Friend?â). An ideal friend cares for your well-being over any issues that may arise between you two.
A part of caring is being reassuring. According to The Book of Life, âThey donât just flatter; they understand how easily we lose perspective, panic and underestimate our own ability to cope. They know weâve got zones of fragility that need to be treated gently. Sometimes they get us to laugh at ourselves, when on our own weâd be inclined to self-pity or rageâ (Cotton, Jess). Ideally, a friend will do his or her best to lift your spirits when you are down.
Another part of being uplifting is the quality of being inspiring. As The Book of Life says, âMore often than itâs comfortable to admit, we donât quite know what we think until a proper friend gently asks us to expand on a thought, to explain why weâre impressed by it and to find good answers to possible objections. They see the potential in what weâre saying when we canâtâ (Cotton, Jess). So, an ideal friend allows us to expand on our ideas and for them to be greater than a momentary thought.
There are more qualities that could be spoken about when talking about an ideal friend. However, these are the most commonly mentioned. Being loyal, trustworthy, open to displaying weaknesses, caring, reassuring, and inspiring are often stated as attributes of an ideal friend.
Works Cited
âThe 13 Essential Traits of Good Friends.â Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/lifetime-connections/201503/the-13-essential-traits-good-friends.
Cotton, Jess. âWhat Would An Ideal Friend Be Like?â The Book of Life, 2 Nov. 2018, www.theschooloflife.com/thebookoflife/what-would-an-ideal-friend-be-like/.
âWhat Makes a Good Friend?â Friendships | ReachOut Australia, au.reachout.com/articles/what-makes-a-good-friend.
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