How To Be A Reliable Friend example essay topic

The ability to build a satisfying interpersonal relationship and to get along with other people contributes to our mental and emotional health. Research has suggested that signs of emotional wellbeing include respect for others, concern for others, and a realistic and positive attitude towards relationships. We sometimes have to learn how to recognize these signs in our friends. Rewarding friendships are highly valued. Our need for friendships and our dependence on our friends increase as we get older.

Maintaining a good friendship is hard work. Building a good friendship is like building a house; first you lay a firm foundation and then work up from there. Like most structures if youdon t look after it, it will disintegrate. In order to maintain a good friendship one must have certain qualities or characteristics: humor, being able to laugh at one another's jokes; honesty, being totally honest is the true basis of a friendship; openness, being able to share genuine and frank feelings is the basis of trust. There are many different types of friends. You have family friends (siblings, cousins, and parents), you have school friends, and neighborhood friends.

What are the steps to becoming a reliable friend The first step is to meet the person. There are many times when you might meet a new friend. You may have just moved to a new town or maybe somebody just moved to your town. Meeting new friends can be scary and exciting at the same time.

When you meet this person it is imperative to be yourself; if you don t, the person is not liking you for you but for who he or she thinks you are. If a person likes you for you it will be much easier to get along with him or her. Being honest is the way to go. The next step is to learn what your friend likes to do and tell him or her what you like to do; if you both don t share the same interests you can compromise; if you do like the same things, the better your friendship will b and will become.

The third step to becoming a reliable friend is to listen to what your friend has to say. What you think and what he or she thinks may not always be the same so if you have conflicting thoughts you have to listen to one another. Sometimes your conflicting thoughts can cause fights and / or arguments between friends. Disagreeing is natural and arguments can arise from just about anything, but there is always two sides to every argument. You must listen to both sides because your friend may make you see a point that you otherwise wouldn t have noticed. Also if you get into a fight you must resolve the fight by talking things out throughly.

If the argument is not worked out and some things are still left unsaid, it can really hurt your friendship. After the argument, if you do realize that you are wrong make sure you apologize. Never be afraid to admit when you are wrong. Sometimes saying I m sorry is hard but if you value your friendship you ll swallow your pride and say it. Another step to becoming a reliable friend is to share your thoughts and feelings. If you keep your feelings bottled up, your friendship may not last long.

It is this sharing of your thoughts and feelings that will cement you friendship. No matter where you are in the world your friendships bond will stay strong. While it is true that people often stray from the qualities and characteristics mentioned above, a truly reliable friend will find a way to make things right. After all is said and done, if youdon t have all of these qualities but you do have some of them, you will still be a reliable friend.