The formula for a best friend
Do you have lots of friends or is there one
particular friend who's always there for you and who you
can trust implicitly? Either way our friends are essential for
a fulfilling and happy life, but how do you know for sure just
who is your best friend?
Well, Your Diamond Club has teamed
up with psychologist, Dr Cliff Arnall to identify once and for
all, and in no uncertain terms, what makes the perfect friend
with our formula for a best friend.
The best friend recipe reveals that if your
friendship is brimming with trust, respect, fun, consistency
and empathy, and has very low instances of jealousy and gossip,
then you can safely say that you have found the perfect best
friend.
Here's the formula (don't worry
if it looks confusing, it's explained below!):
So, what does it all mean?
If maths isn't your forte, here we explain
the formula in simple, straightforward terms:
T stands for TRUST: the
ultimate best friend will keep your secrets and always do what's
best for you. They'll always have your best interests at
heart, and you can trust your best friend to tell you the truth
about everything, whether that's if an item of clothing suits
you or a whether a job or relationship change is a good idea.
Your best friend will stick with you even when circumstances
may not be that pleasant for them and they will always stick
up for you in your absence.
R stands for RESPECT: your
best friend will respect you. She'll respect and understand
your need for privacy, your differences of opinion, and your
need to change, perhaps as you get older. Your best friend will
let you be who you are and will accept you as you are. Best friendships
can last a lifetime if each friend continues to deeply respect
the other person.
F stands for FUN: your
best friend is someone you can have fun with as well as discuss
serious issues with. Having fun with your best friends is an
important part of what keeps you together. One phone call to
your best friend when you are feeling down can change your day,
and make worries seem not half as bad.
C stands for CONSISTENCY: your
best friend is consistently the same and doesn't play mind
games. They simply ‘fit' like your most comfortable
shoe. This factor also includes reliability. You can count on
your friends to show up when they say they will, and you can
rely on them to be there when you need them, especially if things
aren't going particularly well for you. Your best friend
won't let you down.
E stands for EMPATHY: your
best friend will understand your needs and feelings and will
always be supportive. They'll know when there's ‘something
up' with you even though you may be trying to hide it.
J and G stand for
JEALOUSY and GOSSIP: These are the factors where friends
need to score very low in order to be worthy of being your
best friend. Low jealousy and gossip indicate that your best
friend genuinely cares about you, wants the best for you and
is open and honest with you.
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