How To Tell The Difference Between Fake Friends And Real Friends

image via Shutterstock / oneinchpunch

There are few things as important in life as the company you keep but more and more I’m hearing stories of women and men being friends with people they find less than appealing. I totally understand that you have different friends for different reasons however, I just cannot get my head around the fact that some people are happy to surround themselves with people they see as mediocre beings. So much can be said for the quality of friends you keep, rather than the quantity! Your friends can answer for a lot in relation to your happiness levels… Find out how to save or delete friends here.

1. One Strike and You’re Out

At this stage of life, we don’t have the need nor the patience to surround ourselves with people who have let us down in an unforgivable way. In fact, the very same thing can be said for romantic relationships. Chances are, if someone has hurt you so badly you feel completely betrayed by them, chances are they’ll do it again!

2. Down and Up

There are two types of friends in the world – the ones who pick you up and the ones who bring you down. Obviously you want to be friends with the former! Sometimes though it’s hard to realise when someone is bringing down your energy levels. Do you find yourself drained after an encounter with this person? Do you feel like all you do with this person is make bitchy comments about others as well as other negative chit chat? If the answer is ‘yes’ to either question, then there’s a good chance you need to put some distance between the two of you and find someone who is going to make you feel energised.

3. Are you even listening?

We all know people like this – the ones who constantly talk about themselves, waiting for the next turn to talk rather than actually listening to what you have to say. You feel like you might as well be talking to the TV right? Remember, you have value and what you have to say is important. Everyone needs to vent sometimes and it’s totally normal to do this, so long as you give the other person a chance to talk about their day and what is happening with their life. Listening and responding accordingly are two very important skills to have when being a good friend and to look out for when choosing friends.