What type of friend do you want to be?

Not all friendships are created equal. In fact, in today’s social media world, the word ‘friendship’ is overused. A true friend is someone who takes the time to build a real relationship with you. Someone who goes out of their way to help you when you’re in a bind. Someone who calls you on your b**sh**t when it’s necessary. Someone who makes spending time with you a priority because without actually hanging out, a true friendship does not exist, no matter how much you ‘chat’ with the person.

It should not be surprising to see that when we look at friendship this way, most of us do not have time for more than a handful of true friends. This is not to say you cannot have dozens of ‘acquaintances’, but don’t confuse them with friends. Why does this matter? Because in order to treat friends like friends, you must always be very clear about who is your friend and who is just an acquaintance.

Once you have figured out who your true friends are, make sure you behave like a true friend to them. Don’t expect the same in return right away. If they don’t reciprocate with time, they were never true friends to begin with. Don’t wait to take the first step though. Be a true friend and you will attract only the best people and relationships into your life.

Write down all the important people in your life and analyze what type of friend they are. Focus your time and attention on those that you want to build a true friendship with.