7 Signs You're Being a Bad Friend ...

By Lindsey

7 Signs You're Being a Bad Friend ...

Whether you think you're a top-notch friend or you know that you need a little improvement, it's important for everyone to be aware of signs you're being a bad friend. Maintaining healthy, strong friendships is so important for so many reasons. Unfortunately, sometimes you may not notice that the things you're doing are affecting the relationships with those you're closest to, which can truly be a problem. Take a look at this list of signs you're being a bad friend and give yourself a little self-review.

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1

Cancelling Plans at the Last Minute

It's one thing to have to cancel every so often for good reasons, but constant flaking-out is one of the sure fire signs you're being a bad friend. There's nothing more frustrating for a friend than to have you tell them at the last second that you've changed your plans. Once this becomes far too common, your friends will stop bothering to invite you to things because they'll figure you'll continue to ditch them each time.

2

Sharing Secrets

This one's pretty obvious. Your friends should be able to depend on you and know that their information is safe with you, but if you tell others their trusted stories, they won't feel safe sharing anything with you anymore. I once read a quote that said, "Those who gossip with you will gossip of you." Break the trend of gossiping and surround yourself with friends who won't gab about others, and be sure to do the same.

3

Unrequited Friendship

It's important to keep things even in a friendship. If you have friends who offer to do things for you or who are constantly doing little favors for you, always be sure to return the favor. Not offering to help your friends or not stepping in during a time of need is quite selfish. Instead, go above and beyond the call of duty for your friends to really show them how much of a keeper you are.

4

Failing to Keep in Touch

We get it. Everyone is super busy nowadays with work, school, family, relationships, etc. But failing to reach out to a friend even with a simple text is pretty rotten. Sometimes friendships drift apart, and that's understandable, but if a friend is constantly reaching out to you and you don't ever call or text them, you might want to change that bad habit.

5

Starting Fights

Sometimes there are certain things or conversations that happen in a friendship that will cause an argument, but if you're the type of person to start a fight at the drop of a hat, you may want to step back and take a breather. In friendships, you really need to choose your battles. Not every little thing is worth starting a spat over, so be sure to think before you speak.

Famous Quotes

If you have a harem of 40 women, you never get to know any of them very well.

Warren Buffett
6

Leaving Others out

Sometimes there's instances where you just want to have a dinner with one or two friends, but constantly making plans without a certain friend or two is just plain mean. Be sure to extend the invitation, and they'll be more likely to do the same with you.

7

Being Selfish

Each of the previous sections have covered selfishness in a way, but in general, be sure not to focus only on yourself. Sure, it's important to take care of yourself and your own needs, but if you're constantly picking the restaurant or activity that you and your friends do, making your friends cater to whatever's most convenient for you, or always putting your needs before theirs, you really need to reconsider this behavior. People enjoy the company of others who are capable of going with the flow and keeping a balanced relationship. Make sure to be flexible and fair with your friends.

We're all guilty of doing one or more of these actions from time to time, but doing them constantly, or worse, doing ALL of them, is really a problem. After reading this post, we hope that you've been able to reflect a bit on yourself and how you behave in your friendships. Strive to maintain friendships that withstand the test of time, and know that being a good friend is almost always returned back to you. Do you recognize any of these signs?

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Where Thoughts and Opinions Converge

I'm a darn good friend. I don't do anything of these things. It's just awful.

All my so called friends did this to me; less friends less stress.two

ugghhh!!!! i had a friend like this, she stopped contact wen i got pregnant.

Ugh I had a friend like this & cut her off!!!

thats how much of a user she was.

This is good info I don't do any of this but have any of you go advice for friends who try to be like a parent to you mainly to do with boys? I find it patronising cuz I have a friend who is a guy who gets a little mad with me if I'm friends with my American friends he controls me a little and acts like a parent but I asked him about it the other day cuz we had a little fight he started it and when we made up after like 15 seconds into the fight he said he was sorry and he only does it cuz he doesn't want me to get hurt I don't know what to do I'm not sure if he likes me but we both said we only see each other as friend we then hung out the next day but after that we haven't really spoke help anyone?

shit I think I'm a bad friend :O must change

Guilty of 3 and 5

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