It's impossible for me or for anyone to choose who would be our parents or siblings, but when it comes to choosing our friends, we have a choice to make. This leads me to the topic of discussion today about the core values or qualities I seek in a friend.
The importance of great friends in our lives cannot be overstated. Over the years, I have met many people, and some of them have become part of my life. I think the connection happened naturally; it grew from a point to where it is today. Something must have drawn me so close and very close to these beings, and their emotional support has not only improved my well-being but my mental health in most cases. It's not really hard to observe a friend's traits when you constantly have to do something together, and some of these traits can be contagious.
Depending on your personality, what you seek in a friend would obviously be different from mine, but personally, below are some of the core values or qualities I seek in a friend, which are what have connected me with some people across the globe over the years, and of course, everyone cannot be friend material.
One of these qualities is honesty:
As humans, we can't achieve perfectionism but rather try to be as good as possible. As much as we strive to be good, sometimes it's not totally possible as humans. We may find ourselves doing something negative, and what is expected of a true friend is to draw your attention without sugarcoating the truth. It doesn't make any sense to try to hide the truth from me so we can maintain our friendship. I love real friends who criticize me constructively and are so transparent without thinking of losing the friendship or not. Initially, I may not love hearing the truth, but deep down within me, upon reflection, I will realize that this friend meant well for me. This quality is one of the best qualities I seek in a friend. It doesn't matter how I feel if you tell me the truth about my actions; just be honest, and by so doing, building a genuine relationship is inevitable.
Another quality I seek in a friend is empathy: How much does this person understand my own feelings, or is it all about him or her? You know, I have had this friend in the past who lacks empathy and is more of a parasite in my life. The whole love and sacrifices that should be practiced between two friends were one-sided. Whenever I am down, I do not see those feelings in her, just a peripheral kind of attention, unlike how I carry her matter on my head like it's mine. This particular friendship didn't last, of course. I told her that we are parallel lines that cannot meet. A true friend should reciprocate empathy when she sees that her friend is in a low moment.
An empathic friend is comforting; he or she is encouraging, supportive, and always ready to make you smile in the midst of challenges, offering assistance emotionally, physically, mentally, and otherwise. A true friend shouldn't behave like a robot who lacks feelings, and this quality is a yes for me while seeking a friend.
Like I mentioned earlier, some of these traits happen naturally between me and my great friends currently, and as long as I continue to exist and mingle with people, these qualities and more are still capable of giving me genuine connections with my future friends.
It's HPUD!
Gradually increasing my stake, today I powered up 10 hive and I hope you will participate as well
This post was inspired by the #inleo community and my entry to the #juneinleo monthly topic Day 1.
Thanks for reading ❤️❤️❤️
All images are mine