“A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.” – Woodrow T. Wilson, 28th US President.

True friendship is a great blessing that everyone does not receive in life. Everyone has numerous friends from school, college, workplace, and neighborhood. Moreover, people now find hundreds of virtual friends on different social media sites, about whom they can know only from their profiles posted on those sites. However, it is tough to have a true friend in life, as most friendships often turn out to be made on selfish grounds or just because people like to increase their friends lists on Facebook, LinkedIn, or other social media platforms.

So the most important question is how do you know who your real friend is, on whom you can rely blindly in life? If you mingle with the wrong sort of people, they can ruin you financially, physically, and mentally. A true friend will be a valuable asset for you whereas a wrong friend can be too toxic to your life. Therefore, you should try to know your true friends so that you do not need to be disappointed when you need their support during your difficult times in life. Moreover, true friends will always make you smile even while facing the most difficult times.

Few essential tips to distinguish a true friend among all.

According to the reputed British writer C.S. Lewis, “Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together.” However, all your friends may not be genuine and some of them may be posing as your friends only for some benefits. Luckily, there are a few simple tricks for judging the intensity of friendship of your close friends. These tested tips will surely help you to know whether your friends are trustworthy or not. Thus, you can be saved from the treachery of unreliable friends and maintain the lifelong bonding of friendship only with your true friends.

Share a secret with a friend!

A true friend should act as a reliable secret keeper, never revealing the secrets of his/her friend even to his/her family members. On the other hand, an unreliable friend can leak out your secret to others and he/she may even misuse this information for selfish cause. So, you can test your friend by sharing a little and harmless secret with your friend and asking him/her not to reveal it to anyone else. If he/she is your true friend and well-wisher, your secret will remain closed in his/her heart and no third person will ever know it. Then you can be sure that this person is your true friend.

Ask for a favor when needed!

A real friend will always be ready to help you out in all adverse situations. But a fake friend may shun away from the liability of helping you when you need his/her help. So, you can test a friend by asking a small favor from him/her. If he/she promptly agrees to help you without showing any hesitation, then you can rely on his/her friendship and support throughout your life. Often true friends are ready to help going out of their way to support their friends.

Want to know your weaknesses!

A true friend acts as a mirror, pointing out all your positive and negative characteristics. He/she will not bother to flatter you by covering up your weaknesses, as a friend should want his/her friend to turn into a better person. So, you can frankly ask a friend about your shortcomings and how to overcome them. A true friend will always try to guide you in the proper direction even if you do not initially like his/her suggestions.

Check his/her expression on your success!

A true friend will be overwhelmed with happiness on your achievements. He/she should be proud of you for your success even if he/she was also a part of that competition or job and lagged behind you. If you find signs of jealousy in his/her words, actions, or expressions; then you should be aware of this person and never regard him/her as your true friend. Friendships often fall apart due to jealousy of one friend for another and it is best to stay away from such friends. If your friend tries to be superior to you and makes a sullen face if you are ahead of him/her, this person is not your friend at all.

Will not force you on any situation!

If a person is your true friend, he/she will not mind if you are busy and do not get time to call or meet him/her. A good friend will always respect your personal space and limitations. He/she will not turn away from you even if you fail to fulfill his/her wish. So, you may test a friend by keeping your distance from him/her for some time, with the excuse of your busy schedule or other problems.

Accept you as you really are!

A true friend will not judge you for any defect in your appearance or behavior. He/she will not mind even if you are financially weak or lack a good social background. A good friend will not judge you by your looks or habits even if they may be not likable to others. He/she will praise you on minute good matters that can encourage you to be a better version of yourself.

Listen to all your problems!

If you have a good friend, he/she will listen attentively to whatever you want to say regarding your problems or confusions. If you find that a friend is not paying attention and looking at his/her mobile when you are speaking to him/her, this person should not be regarded as a true friend. A genuine friend will always be ready to give you enough time to speak your mind even if he/she has a very busy schedule.

Meet or contact you quite often!

All of us have friends whom we see or hear only on important occasions. However, we need good friends whom we can call at any time when we need their advice or support. So, you can check a friend by calling or messaging him/her frequently, to see whether he/she is happy to hear you or feel irritated on your call. A true friend will show enough respect or affection to you that will make you feel warm at heart even if you are staying miles apart from each other.

Hence, you can now check the reliability of your friends and find only true friends who will be with you for the entire lifetime. These friends are God’s blessings for you who can fill your life with more colors and the essence of love. Mark Twain, the famous writer said, 

“Of all possessions a friend is the most precious.”

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