In our lives, it is extremely important to keep good friendships. They are our support system, the people we turn to during difficult times, and the ones we laugh with and count on. Surrounding ourselves with positive people can have a big impact on our happiness and overall well-being. While some friendships can bring joy into our lives, others can leave us feeling drained, stressed, or unappreciated. Recognizing how our relationships make us feel is an important part of taking care of ourselves and building healthy connections.
What is a Healthy Friendship?
A healthy friendship is one where both people feel valued, respected, and supported. Having a falling out with someone in your life is something we experience at some point in our lives. Everyone has a story to tell, and every friendship can look different. What feels small to one person can have a huge impact on another. Paying attention to how you feel in your relationships can help you better understand what you need from your friendships and what makes a connection meaningful to you.
The Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore
Throughout our lives, we spend huge chunks of time with friends. Have you noticed constant bickering, arguing, sharp voices, or large amounts of whining and complaining? If these behaviors are happening regularly, your friendship may need some attention. Take a closer look at your friendship and how it makes you feel. Paying attention to these behaviors and recognizing when they become a pattern can help you decide what your friendship needs. Sometimes, an open conversation can help strengthen the relationship and create a resolution. Other times, you may decide that creating some distance is the healthiest choice for you.
Making the Healthy Choice
It is important to make choices that protect your peace and support your well-being. Constantly being let down by your relationships or feeling drained and unappreciated can be a sign that something needs to change. That’s when it becomes time to ask yourself, is this friendship supporting the person I want to be? You are supposed to feel welcomed, valued, and invested in. Everyone deserves relationships where you can be yourself, experience contentment, and feel supported.
Protecting Your Peace
One step that many may skip when starting new or maintaining relationships is defining your own boundaries. Boundaries are the limits that mark the edge of an area or appropriate behavior. Before you allow a relationship to move forward, it is important to understand what you are comfortable with and what you need from the people in your life. This can make it easier to build genuine friendships with people who honor your boundaries. The people you value and surround yourself with should understand and respect your limits. This is essential in building and maintaining long-term, healthy relationships.
Growing Through Change
At the end of the day, your friendships should bring positivity, connection, and support into your life. Making changes in a friendship does not make you a bad person. Sometimes, it means choosing what is best for your own well-being. It’s okay to recognize when a relationship is no longer serving you and to create space for new and healthy connections. Surround yourself with people who appreciate you, support you, and motivate you to be the best version of yourself. Healthy friendships should add to your life, helping you feel connected, valued, and supported along the way.
Written by GUADS intern Ava with contributions from Toxic Friendships: Knowing the Rules and Dealing with the Friends Who Break Them by by Judy Pochel Van Tieghem and Suzanne Degges-White
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