Friendships are often defined by shared experiences, laughter, and mutual support. It’s easy to spend time with somebody and talk about nothing and still have a good time. You can have people around you where you can share your joy and even sadness with them. They might even be good listeners and you might find comfort in their presence. Those are indeed good friends.
However, there’s a deeper layer in friendships that often goes unnoticed. When I evaluate my friendships, I take a look at if I can go to that person for advice and have those hard conversations where they might even become uncomfortable because sometimes it’s hard to state the sad truth.
More important than that, if I go to them for advice will I hear just a positive feedback, something they think I would like to hear at that point or on the other hand, possibly the harsh truth.
The best friendships that I have are with those people where I can go and have those hard conversations where I’m vulnerable and they don’t just want to make me happy at the moment, but they think about the impact of their words on my long-term future. It’s easy to fall into the trap of surrounding ourselves with people who always agree with us or who avoid difficult topics to keep the peace. It’s a trap I usually try to avoid.
These are the people that I would like to keep close because they keep me in check. Not only they help me see things from a different perspective that I might’ve ignored otherwise, but it also shows that they care deep enough about my future well-being. It’s a good quality if your friends are not afraid to push you out of your comfort zone.
So while it’s wonderful to have friends who bring joy and comfort to our lives, it’s equally important to cherish those who can have the hard conversations with us. These are the friends who truly have our best interests at heart, who think about our future, and who are willing to engage in honest and sometimes uncomfortable conversations. They are the ones who keep us grounded, challenge us, and ultimately help us become a better versions of ourselves.
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