A Good friend

Friends are a pretty important part of most people's lives. Research shows that having quality relationships increases your likelihood of being happy - so it's good for your happiness to be a great friend and to have a group of close friends surrounding you too.

A good friend might be someone who's there to provide support when times are tough, or someone you can rely on to celebrate a special moment with you. You might see them every day, once a year, or less. You might hardly see them at all but instead keep in touch via telephone, email, or online.

Friends might come and go in your life, they might make you laugh and cry, but most importantly of all they love you for who you are. It doesn't matter what a person looks like or what kind of clothes they wear, but it's what's on the inside that counts. It's the actions they take, no matter how big or small, to show you how much of a good friend they are, and being there for you no matter what, even when things are incredibly important!

"What makes a good friend?"

• someone who will support you no matter what

• someone you can trust and who won't judge you

• someone who won't put you down or deliberately hurt your feelings, but will show kindness and respect

• someone who will love you not because they feel they have to because you're their friend, but because they choose to

• someone whose company you enjoy and whose loyalty you can depend upon

• someone who will be there no matter what your situation is

• someone who is trustworthy and not afraid to tell you the truth, no matter how hard it is sometimes

• someone who can laugh when you laugh

• someone who will stick around when things get rough

• someone who makes you smile

• someone who can accept you for who you are, and just lend you an ear when you need to whine or complain

• someone who will cry when you cry

• someone who will give you room to change.