Five Tips To Better Choose Your Friends

You must learn to choose your friends, because friendship is one of the most important interpersonal relationships in existence. Moreover, it is also the relationship in which you can experience the most disappointments. Sometimes, after years of being friends with a person, they may disappoint you or you suddenly realize that the friendship is toxic.

There are times when people complain that they don’t have real friends. If you’re in this position, maybe it’s time to learn how to choose your friends.

Thanks to technology, it’s pretty easy to make friends these days, or so you’d think. However, the results of a survey by Time magazine (English link) show that many people do not have close friends. Maybe it’s because most people don’t know how to choose their friends. Here are some tips that can help!

Tips to choose your friends better

1. Talk about your common interests

One of the first tips to help you choose your friends better is to talk about your common interests. Even though you may feel sympathy for a person when you first meet them, it’s always a good idea to have a conversation where you can find out if you share any ideas or hobbies.

But why is that necessary? Well, because you have to make plans with your friends to get to know them even better and to strengthen your relationship.

In case you don’t have free time to meet, just imagine trying to plan a weekend away. That would be impossible. Therefore, talking about your common interests will allow you to find like-minded people to share your free time with.

2. Try to find out if your friends only contact you when they need you

The second tip to choose your friends better is to try and determine whether they approach you because they want to make plans and share their time with you doing a joint activity, or whether they only look for you when they need you. to have. You can easily discover this because they will probably ask you to do them a favor.

If this situation continues over time, you will start to feel bad. You will realize that you are the only one she asks for a cup of coffee or a chat. Also, they are rarely available when you need to talk and blow off steam. These are important things to keep in mind.

3. How do they treat others?

This advice is as necessary as it is important. Yes, someone may treat you well, but that doesn’t mean they have the same values. So, they might be someone you don’t want to start a friendship with. For this reason, it is imperative that you analyze how they treat other people, especially other friends and family.

For example, imagine that you always feel very comfortable with a friend. You share your opinions and can discuss all kinds of topics without any problems.

However, one day he shows you a part of his personality with his partner or one of his parents that you didn’t know and that you don’t really like. Paying attention to these kinds of circumstances can help you draw your own conclusions and make a decision.

4. Discuss controversial issues

Talking about politics, for example, can be a controversial topic that allows you to put this point into practice. It’s about choosing the most sensitive topics that you can chat with your friends about to know how they react. You may realize that they are taboo for some or that others think their opinion is all that matters.

Raising controversial topics can also help you gauge your friends’ tolerance. Even if you don’t feel the same way about a certain topic, it’s important that you respect the opinions of others. In addition, it is important that you listen to others as you expect them to do to you.

5. Don’t Be Obsessed With Finding The Perfect Boyfriend

The last of the tips we want to share with you is to avoid becoming obsessed with finding the perfect boyfriend or girlfriend. This will only lead to you constantly searching and feeling like you don’t fit in with anyone.

This is indicated in the article “The negative consequences of maximizing friendship selection” (English link). You should choose your friendships better, but don’t get too strict.