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•If a friend has something on their mind, take the time to listen to everything they have to say before responding. We often have the urge to give advice or try and fix the problem ourselves, but sometimes our friends just want somebody there to listen to them.
•Treat even your oldest, closest friends with politeness and respect. Familiarity makes being rude and crude seem like more of an option, and sometimes it can be, but keep in mind that you are still capable of hurting your friends’ feelings by being thoughtless.
•Stay positive when your friends come to you with their problems. When everything seems hopeless, we often depend on our friends to put things into perspective for us. Respect that your friend is having a rough time, but emphasize there will be a solution.
•When your friends trust you with secrets, never give them away, even to your other friends. All it takes is revealing even the smallest secret to cause irreparable damage to your relationship. This is something you can never get back completely, so think long and hard before you betray the trust of a friend.
•Watch out for fair-weather friends, and make sure you do not behave like one yourself. At the same time, do not test your friends unnecessarily. Problems will arise without you having to create them. When they do, you will be able to see who sticks by you.
•Be quick to end a friendship with someone you know in your heart is harming you and others. Keep in mind that no real friendships were ever formed out of pity. Staying friends with someone who is selfish and hurtful is poisonous both to you and to your other friends.
•If you have a friend who suffers a personal tragedy, reach out to them immediately. It can feel awkward to try and comfort someone going through something so dire, and you might not know what to say. But in the end, your friend will remember that you were there for them.
