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Are you able to recognize when you have a genuine friendship with someone? What does this mean to you?
It is when they are there for you in the good and the bad times? Or that they care for you and never impose judgment? Do they offer advice and constructive criticism? Do they help you learn from your mistakes?
A good friend cares about all aspects of your life, and in many cases, they can connect and be closer to you than many of your own relatives. A good friendship is about the fellowship you have with another and the camaraderie you experience between each other that lasts a lifetime.
It's not about how many friends you have but the quality of people you choose to invite into your life as friends that counts. If you are questioning the quality of your friends, it may be time to re-evaluate the relationship to ensure they respect you for who you are.
Many friends are in our lives because we have things in common. We simply like the same things… or perhaps dislike similar things (politics, sports teams, etc.). We are on the same page. True friends and confidants are with us no matter what.
In this article, we will answer the question of “Why are friendship goals important?” And then give you 21 friendship goals to focus on with your good friends.
Why are Friendship Goals Important?
It's crucial to set friendship goals because you are thinking of your future together. If goals aren't set within a relationship, we can each get to places in life where we simply grew apart. Friendship goals help us grow closer to our friends.
Also, friendship goals help set boundaries that show your friend that you value them as a person. Furthermore that you're dedicated to doing all you possibly can to make them a part of your life going forward.
Friends are needed because they give us someone in our lives that can see the best in us when we can't see it in ourselves. Our friends bring us validation, show gratitude, appreciation, and help to improve our self-worth.
When we set friendship goals, we commit to pick our friends up when they are down. In addition, it gives them a sense of belonging.
Friends know our deepest and darkest secrets and keep them safe. A good friend also knows the right buttons to push to keep us motivated and inspired.
While a good friend may still let you down or disappoint you now and again, they will always have your back. They are honest about themselves and their frame of mind and will be open and honest with you too… perhaps, at times, brutally honest.
21 Friendship Goals to Focus on With Your Good Friends
1. Be honest.
We should always vow to be honest with our friends no matter what. Honesty is like building a house with nails. Dishonest is what you get if you were to pull all the nails out of the house's structure where it stands. It would surely fall flat. So be open and honest and share your opinions. They matter to good friends.
2. Be a good steward of your friend's secrets.
It is vital to know when to share a secret and when to keep it quiet. As a rule, it’s best to keep all of your good friend’s secrets unless their life is in danger, or it puts them at risk for harm to keep it quiet.
3. Don’t gossip about your friend.
It’s best not to gossip at all. If we are being truthful, if we gossip to someone, we will talk “about” them too. A sure way to end a good friendship is to let them find out you shared harmful and hurtful things about them behind their backs.
4. Make time for your good friends.
One way to grow apart is to feel as if you are catching your friend in the middle of busyness all the time. But, especially if that busyness is something you and your friend usually enjoy together.
To make time for them, and set friendship goals, invite them out to things you two would typically do, like shopping or going to a ball game. That keeps your friendship going strong.
5. Don’t abandon your friend in bad times.
No one really likes a fair-weathered friend. But, when the chips are down, when things are rough, and you need a pick me up, a good friend will always be there for you. They will rearrange their schedule to ensure you have support when you need it.
6. You can always pick up where you left off.
In good friendships, you can usually pick back up where you left off with each other even if it has been 2,3 or 6 months since you have last spoken. This is because you value your friend so much that you hang on closely to things they share with you. And when you reconnect, it’s as if you never miss a beat. Of course, you don't have to talk every day, but when you do, you set aside time to fill in the gaps in each other’s lives and what has been missed.
7. You're never getting tired of talking to each other.
Good friends can talk on the phone off and on all day. You all learn how to work, go shopping, cook dinner, and do laundry while talking on the phone or consistently texting your dear friend.
8. Be available to listen.
Sometimes our friends just need someone to vent to. The problem is we often seek to offer solutions, even if they aren't asked for when it comes to people we care for. Give your good friend a chance to share what is in their heart and offer advice or solutions if asked. Your friend may figure their situation out themselves but just needed a sounding board.
[Learn more about the best way to listen: Empathic Listening]
9. Don’t abuse the trust of a good friend.
Let's say your good friend leaves you the keys to their condo while they are out of town so that you can water their plants. But, don't betray their trust by throwing a party in their home. As the day saying goes, “treat them how you want to be treated.”
[Feel Lonely, Friendless and Alone? See Quotes to Show You Are Not Alone]
10. Don’t take your good friend for granted.
You shouldn't ignore your good friend, mistreat them, or betray their trust and expect them to be there for you when you need them. Friendships last when there is a healthy and balanced amount of give and take. Also, working on our interpersonal skills is also a plus.
11. Give your good friend some space.
With any relationship or friendship, absence makes the heart grow fonder. Sometimes, it's just a short time away that's needed to hit the refresh button on your friendship.
Also, some things our friends go through, they need time to think and figure things out for themselves.
12. Be motivators of each other.
Whether you are training for a marathon, trying to lose weight, or deciding to go back to school, our good friend can be our greatest supporter.
13. Pray together.
One of the most powerful things good friends of faith can do is pray together. Prayer for each other is one of the more serious friendship goals that show our pals just how important they are to us. In addition, it helps form an unbreakable bond with them.
14. Help each other accomplish tasks.
This is a great goal. Who wouldn't want to help a friend looking for a job or needing a contractor to work on their home? You may be able to help by reaching out to people you may know or simply searching online and helping them look. Good friends simply do life together.
15. Each lunch together.
Making time to eat lunch with a friend is one of the most underrated friendship goals. It enables you two to enjoy a great meal with someone you value and lift each other's spirits (especially if your morning started off rough). It will quickly grow into something you both enjoy and look forward to as often as you can do it.
16. Take a friend's trip.
There is something great about planning a weekend getaway with the girls or going camping or fishing with the boys. It is great bonding time and gives you the ability to let your hair down and forget about the hustle and bustle of your daily grind.
17. Join a sports league together.
Whether it is a bowling league, basketball league, or going out to play a round of golf, time spent with your good friends is vital. A little healthy competition is good, and you’ll build a sense of camaraderie and closeness that you’ll look forward to experiencing often.
18. Treat yourselves together.
Make those times when you go to the spa, the gym, the barbershop, or the salon a time where you can look forward to being with friends. Those tasks are always more fun when they are shared experiences.
19. Go out for drinks or cook a meal together.
Whether you are going out to drink wine, some beers, soft drinks, or coffee, just spending time with good friends to relax and catch up are friendship goals worth regularly having.
Fire up the grill or get together to cook up each other’s favorite dishes. Make memories that will last a lifetime.
20. Show your good friend they are loved.
Valentine's Day rolls around, but your friend is single. Those are the times to implement your friendship goals of making sure they feel loved. Buy your friend a bouquet of flowers or give them a card and some chocolates. Make sure they know they are cared for and valued even though they may not have that special valentine yet. This works great for birthdays too.
21. Brag on your friend in public.
Introducing your friend to others makes it a great moment to brag on them. Make it one of your friendship goals for others to know what you feel is unique about your friend. For example, it could be that they were there for you during hard times and have always supported you emotionally. Let your friend hear you celebrating them.
Final Thoughts on 21 Friendship Goals to Focus on With Your Good Friends
Good friends are hard to find. So, once you have found a good friend, you’ll need to focus on friendship goals. You’ll want to cherish them, celebrate them, spend quality time with them and be there for them.
True friendship can stand the test of time… and long distance. Let nothing stand in the way of a friendship that really matters… and, above all, makes you a better person for knowing one another.
Friendship is always a two-way street… so never let them feel as if it’s not, or one-sided. Check out these inspiring quotes about love, life and loving friendships to stay on top of your friendship goals game!
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