We’ve all been the “bad friend” at one time or another

As much as we all think we’re amazing friends, there are plenty of moments where we’ve flaked out on a get-together or even said something hurtful behind a friend’s back without realizing. It can be hard to admit it, but the truth is that we’ve all been the “bad friend” because nobody’s perfect and nobody gets it right one hundred percent of the time.

Becoming a better quality friend isn’t as hard as it looks!

So, what do you do if you realize you’re being a bad friend? First of all, don’t panic! It’s a lot easier to become a better friend than it may seem, and a great way to start is by assessing the situation. Could you be communicating your needs better? Are you listening to your friend’s problems? When was the last time you did something for them? Mary and Sienna go over some helpful tips on becoming a better quality friend.

Helpful tips for becoming a better quality friend

Understanding the parts of your relationship that may be lacking is essential in improving any friendship, and this list of 18 ways to become a better best friend by Nico Lang from Thought Catalog lists a ton of helpful tips. Here are some of our favorites:

• “Go to them first. In friendships, we have a bad habit of disengagement from the problem. If we see that something is bothering someone, we ignore it or simply let them stew. We say, “They’ll come to me when they are ready.” It’s great to give others emotional space, but we also need to just ovary up and ask people what’s going on.”
  

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• “Have one-on-one time. It’s great to hang out with other people, but you also need to take the time to personally tend to your relationship. Find out what’s going on with them. Have a kiki. Or just have a night where you sit in your pajamas and watch Purple Rain together, like you did in high school. You need bonding time to remind yourself why you are friends to begin with.”
  

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• “Work on your advice giving skills. When someone asks you for your feedback on their problems, ask yourself these questions, “Was I really listening to what’s going on? Will this advice address their problems? Is this advice for them or me?””

Tune in next week for Episode 14: Films About Friendship

Do you have a story about friendship? Good, bad, or ugly — we wanna hear it! Click here to learn more about submitting your story and you might just hear it in a future episode or featured on the blog!

Hosted by Mary Akemon and Sienna Mooney
Produced by Alex Papworth
Music by Max Wallace
Episode illustration by Maddy Vian