Mistakes That Will Destroy Your Friendship
Friends are a very important part of our lives. It is essential that we have people we care about and trust to help us through all the ups and downs. But there are some things we may subconsciously be doing that will ruin our friendships. Look at these things that will destroy your friendship almost immediately. You may not realize you are doing these things before it is too late!
Not Being There When They Need You
When your friends go through hard times, they need you to be there. If you’re always too busy or unavailable, they might feel like you don’t care. This can hurt their feelings and make them think you’re not a good friend. Being there when your friends need you shows that you care about them. It’s essential to be supportive and make time for your friends, especially when they need you the most.
Always Talking About Yourself
Friendships are about sharing, not just talking about yourself. If you only talk about your own life and never ask about your friend’s life, they might feel ignored. This can make your friends feel like they don’t matter to you. Listening as much as you talk is essential to keep your friendship strong. Showing interest in your friend’s thoughts and feelings helps build a better, more balanced friendship.
Breaking Trust
Trust is one of the most essential parts of a friendship. Lying, gossiping, or breaking promises can hurt your friend’s trust in you. Once trust is broken, it’s tough to get it back. Without trust, a friendship can fall apart quickly. To keep your friend’s trust, always be honest and keep your word. The best thing you can ever do is speak from your heart, however bitter it may sound so that you can express everything without any problem.
Being Negative All the Time
It’s okay to have bad days, but being negative all the time can be challenging for your friends. Constantly complaining or concentrating on the wrong things can also make your friends feel down. Over time, they might not want to spend time with you because it feels too heavy. To keep your friendships happy, try to focus on the positive things. A positive attitude makes people want to be around you more.
Not Respecting Boundaries
Everyone has personal boundaries, and respecting them is vital in any friendship. Pushing your friends to do things they’re uncomfortable with or ignoring their wishes can cause problems. Your friends might feel you don’t respect them, leading to arguments or distance. Listening to your friends’ needs and respecting their boundaries is essential to keep your friendship healthy. This shows that you care about their feelings.
Ignoring Their Accomplishments
When your friend does something great, like getting a good grade or winning a game, it’s important to celebrate with them. They might feel you don’t care if you don’t acknowledge their success. This can make them feel unappreciated and distant from you. Celebrating your friend’s achievements shows that you are happy for them and proud of their success. It helps develop a stronger bond between you and your friend.
Canceling Plans Often
Making plans with friends is a way to spend time together and have fun. But if you cancel plans too often, your friends might feel unimportant to you. This can hurt their feelings and make them stop inviting you to things. Keeping your promises and showing up for plans is a way to show that you value your time together. It’s essential to be reliable if you want to keep your friends close.
Taking Them for Granted
Sometimes, we get so used to having our friends around that we forget to show them how much we appreciate them. If you take your friends for granted, they might feel unimportant and undervalued. This can lead to them feeling distant from you. It’s essential to show your friends you appreciate them by saying thank you and doing small, kind things for them. A little appreciation goes a long way in keeping friendships strong.
Not Apologizing When You’re Wrong
Everyone makes mistakes, but not everyone is good at saying sorry. If you hurt your friend’s feelings and don’t apologize, it can create a rift between you. Your friend might feel you don’t care about their feelings, which can damage your relationship—apologizing when you’re wrong shows that you value your friend and want to make things right. A sincere apology can help heal any hurt and keep your friendship strong.
Being Jealous
Sometimes, feeling jealous is natural, but letting jealousy control you can harm your friendships. Envying your friend’s success and letting it affect how you treat them can create tension. Your friend might feel like you’re not happy for them, which can hurt the relationship. Instead of being jealous, try to celebrate your friend’s achievements. Supporting each other’s successes is integral to being a good friend.
Not Making Time for Them
Friendships need time and attention to grow. If you’re too busy to hang out or talk, your friends might feel neglected, which can cause them to drift away from you. Making time for your friends is essential, even when life gets busy. It helps you forget about your daily stresses and devote time to the things that you live. Spending time together helps strengthen your bond and shows that you care about the friendship.
Holding Grudges
Holding onto anger or not forgiving your friend after a fight can create tension. Grudges can make it hard to move on and cause much pain in a friendship. Never letting go of past mistakes can make your friend feel like you don’t care about improving things. It’s essential to forgive and move on to keep your friendships healthy. Forgiveness helps heal the friendship and allows both of you to grow closer.
Neglecting Them As Soon As You Start A Relationship
We are all guilty of this! While ignoring your friends for some time when a new, fulfilling relationship starts is normal, after some time, you need to evaluate your priorities. When was the last time you saw your friends? And by this, we mean to see your friends alone! Not with your new date. Remember, these are the most important people in your life. Don’t neglect them.
Gossiping
Do you have a friend who’s constantly gossiping? Then you’ve probably wondered whether she’s doing the same with you. This probably led you to never share secrets or weaknesses with her. This prevents you from being vulnerable and builds a strong bond. Of course, you don’t want your friends to do the same with you. So, don’t gossip!
Choosing Someone Else
Your friends should always be a priority in your life. You should try to put them first and make sure they always feel valued. But when you start choosing to be around other people rather than your friends, they may start to feel insecure within the friendship. It can also lead them to feel left out and excluded, feeling as though the friendship isn’t as meaningful. Make sure you stick by your friends and never ditch them for a ” better option.”
Every friendship we make teaches us a great life lesson. Some last a lifetime, while others stay until we learn from them. However, if you work on the twelve points discussed above, your friendship will grow with time and become your trust circle for life. Caring for your friends and standing by them when they are there for you will help sustain the bond for a long time. Here is a toast to your everlasting friends!!
