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4 Ways to Be a Good Friend

To have good friends, you must be a good friend. The following telltale signs are adapted from Andrea Bonior’s The Friendship Fix.

Good friends have real meaning in each other’s life. Your best friends are among the first you share your good and bad news with — the deeper, more meaningful news beyond what you post online. These friends are privy to your important moments and are not an afterthought.
Good friends give each other feedback about their friendship: Your best friends let you know you mean a lot to them, and vice versa. Some people aren’t prone to sentimentality, and validation about how happy friends are to spend time together may come with gentle teasing.
Good friends attract people who become good friends. Enough said, right?
Good friends feel comfortable together and treat each other well. You let your guard down around each other and find it easy to open up with your thoughts and concerns.

This was excerpted from “How to Make Friends as an Adult” which was published in the June 2022 issue of Experience Life.

Jessie Sholl is an Experience Life contributing editor.