Most people who start reading this are probably hoping to see some qualities they can point out in others, or that they can step back and say about themselves. But I hope that you see some things you don't do, or never expected of yourself. This list isn't a nice little check-off list you can go down for yourself. It should be a goal to work towards. Because you will find friends that become the most important people to you in your life.
1. Be the friend you can rely on.
"A friend in need is a friend indeed." That's an old phrase we hear sometimes. It means that real friends are those that are there for one another when they need them the most. It's easy having a friend who's there when life is going great and everything is peachy, but you have to make an effort to be there even when their lives suck. How can you expect anyone to be there for you when you don't do it for others?
2. Sacrifice for others
The best way to show someone else is important is by showing that they are more important than yourself. Sometimes giving something up for someone else, whether it be time or that chance for you to work on a homework assignment, is what it means to be a friend. And yeah, sacrifice means giving something up to get something else. You can't just be a friend when it's convenient for you. Making an effort to make someone else happy is what sacrifice means, and you will be rewarded for your efforts, even if it isn't obvious.
3. Listen and Ask
Conversation is what makes it possible for humans to even relate or interact with each other, but you can't just talk about the coolest show that's out right now, or which Marvel character would definitely be a good choice as a date. Sometimes they won't want to talk about their life, but it's necessary to understand them. Learning about someone else is how we can better be there for them, and this involves asking about their life, remembering what they're going through, and recognize when life is getting hard. And we can't just talk about our problems and then not be able to tolerate it when they need to talk about their own.
4. Help them Grow
Criticism can be a jerk move for a friend, but if you can't tell each other about things that they can do better, then you don't have any direction with the relationship. Obviously you shouldn't just criticize them, but helping each other be better people is what a friend should do. Not only that, but compliments and encouragement go hand in hand with this. A friendship should be about building people up to achieve things together that they couldn't have done without support. Have the confidence to be honest with each other and have the humility to take the honesty and apply it to yourself.
5. Be the friend you want them to be
This is probably the most important one. How can you expect people to like you or care about you unless you care about them? It takes at least two people to form a friendship, and they won't do all this stuff for you if you're not willing to do it for them. Loyalty is earned by what you do. And if you do these for someone, you'll find someone who is truly worth keeping around. In the same way, if you do these things and there is no return, are they truly your 'friend'? Are they really worth the time an effort you put in trying to have a relationship if they arn't even interested in the relational part of it?
