FIVE VALUES OF FRIENDSHIP

Friendship Goals! We say it, but do we mean it! How do you choose your friends? You may hang out with people and laugh together, even gossip, but are they really friends? What value do you place on friendship? Should we even place any value at all?

Well, yes! You should. Friendship is one of the few relationships in your life that you get to choose by yourself, so it is best you apply wisdom in making your decisions.

Here are FIVE VALUES of HEALTHY friendship:

RESPECT: Respect each other. Respect what your friend brings to the relationship. If you decide to make friends, see the good in them.

HONESTY: No lies. No pretenses. Do not make your friendship a home for hypocrisy. Be open, be sincere. Tell yourselves the truth.

EMPATHY: If there’s no empathy, then there’s no friendship. You cannot be judgmental or mean-spirited. Show love and empathy by having an understanding of your friend’s challenges and predicaments. Show concern.

INDEPENDENCE: No matter how much you promise to stand for each other, you also need a friend who can stand on her own. You can lend a hand sometimes, but a true friend must be independent in her finances and personal decisions. The idea is to come together and inspire each other, not leech from the other person. You should add value to the life of your friend, not suck all the good they have, and leave them empty.

GRACE: Understand that everyone – including your friend – is a work-in-progress. Show grace. Forgive their mistakes (if they are not borderline destructive or harmful). Show kindness. They may not deserve it all the time, but the trick is to know when to stop and move away. It’s up to you to set boundaries. But the most important thing is not to throw the baby and the bath water – not every disagreement should end your friendship. Show grace and know when to forgive, and also when to move on.

May we continue to build healthy friendships!