Many people say that honesty is the best policy, but how many people live by those words? Most of us are more likely to veer into the territory of “ignorance is bliss”, telling tiny little white lies to spare the feelings of others. Finding best friends you can always depend on to tell you the truth is essential for making it every day.
After all, is a sugar-coated version of the facts what you want from the people in your life – “harmless” bits of deception that give you the wrong idea? Chances are, you’d like to have a blunt, truthful friend who cares for you and will tell it like they see it. And you should!
Here Are 5 Reasons Honest People Make The Best Friends
1. There Is No Doubt About Their Intentions
Someone who is honest has no interest in pretending to be someone that they are not. This means that you will never doubt the intentions of honest people – there’s no room for uncertainty when they are always very straightforward about what they’re up to. Here is why you’ll know their intentions are pure:
· They Keep Promises
A lot of people making statements to indicate their commitment to you. “Just say the word and I’ll be there!” “If there’s anything you need, I’m your guy!” “I’ll help you with whatever you need!” But how many of these statements are true from anyone?
With a blunt and honest best friend, you know that they don’t make promises they can’t keep. They won’t try to comfort you with false promises. They’ll tell you exactly what they can do, and exactly what they can’t.
· You’ll Know The Friendship Is Genuine
Your friendship with someone who is blunt and honest is as real and true and it can possibly get. Their feelings towards you are not a secret and are neither understated nor overstated. An honest person would not pretend to be your friend!
· They Will Never Manipulate You
One of the more frightening parts of becoming close to someone is the vulnerability involved. Someone with less than positive intentions may aim to take advantage of you or manipulate you. Just like any romantic relationship, a platonic relationship can also become toxic or abusive, and you’ll want to avoid that in your friends.
An honest person is not interested in being manipulative. They will never use you to achieve their goals, as that would require deception and cruelty – the antithesis to honesty. If they want something from you, they’ll tell you.
· You Will Never Feel Insecure About Your Friendship
An honest individual will never fake being best friends with you just to appease you, or just to keep things peaceful. If they don’t want to be friends with you anymore, you can bet your bottom dollar that they’d make it clear. They would never “secretly” dislike or hate you while showing you a smiling face.
This means that you don’t have to second-guess the bond you share. Many honest people will become excellent lifelong companions, as they seek to build meaningful bonds with you. (1)
2. They Will Always Tell It To You Straight
If you spend a lot of time around those who are honest, you’ll know that they’re very blunt and direct with you. It’s not that they don’t care about your feelings – it’s that they are willing to deal with the consequences of saying what is right and what is true.
This can be rather surprising to some people, but honesty is an exceedingly valuable trait to have in your best friends. It indicates an individual who is secure in themselves, who is not afraid of the unknown, and who is humble yet confident enough to not fear judgment. Here’s why and how they will always tell it to you straight: (2)
· They Tell You What’s Needed, Not What’s Wanted
Most people tell little white lies to help others feel better. But if an honest friend knows there’s something difficult or unpleasant that you need to hear, they will tell you. They know it may be uncomfortable, awkward, or painful, but they know you need to listen to what they have to say.
This means that these individuals will make sure they don’t butter you up with false ideas that you might want to hear. You can trust them to have your back and tell you what you have to know.
· They Would Never Talk Behind Your Back
It goes without saying that if someone who is honest feels strongly about something, they’ll tell you to your face. Instead of unproductively spreading rumors and false gossip, they will go right to you.
It can seem rather confrontational at first, but this means that you can always trust this person. They won’t spread misinformation about you, they won’t stab you in the back, and you will always know what they want you to know. This opens up channels of communication, strengthening your friendship.
· They Mean Every Word
Did they really mean that compliment? Are they serious about how you good your outfit is? Does your artwork really look great? It does if an honest person says so! You’ll know that if they dislike something, they’ll give you their cuttingly honest opinion – so their kind words are extra sweet!
· They Are The Opposite Of Cruel
You may think that extremely blunt honesty is a sign of cruelty, but this is far from the case. To have the courage to say what is difficult is a huge sign of positive character. It indicates that this person genuinely cares about you and wants you to know the truth!
3. They Help You To Be A Better Person
Hanging out with honest people, especially if they are your best friends, has the great side effect of your own self-improvement. Their ways rub off on you, and you learn more and more about who you want to be and how to get there in the process.
These people see when you’re slipping up and instantly inform you. They will set you straight when they see you straying from a good path. But they don’t do this in a demeaning or judgemental manner – they do it because they care about you and want you to be happy and successful.
Honest best friends will always keep you on your toes, encouraging you to do and be better. You will find yourself taking their advice and corrections to heart. You will learn to respond in a more positive way to criticism. You will listen to their words with positive thinking.
Before you know it, you’ll be working hard to better yourself based on the advice they give you. You’ll begin to improve yourself and notice your own mistakes, without needing others to point them out for you. That’s what happens when you surround yourself with such honest pals!
4. They Will Always Apologize When They Make Mistakes
We’ve sung high praise about honest people thus far, but they’re not perfect. No one is! As such, they are bound to make mistakes and mess up every now and then. The difference is in how they respond to those mistakes. Here’s how.
· They Apologize Well
Some people are bad at apologizing. Their “sorry”s are filled with excuses, or perhaps they apologize for the fact that you were hurt as opposed to because they hurt you. It takes a truly good person to swallow their pride, put their ego aside, and give a true, genuine apology – and that’s what honest people do.
· They Have Open Minds
It’s not unusual for someone to only want to see things from one narrow perspective. Those who are honest may fall prey to the tendency to see the world only through their opinions, but they are still open-minded.
If someone disagrees with them, they are eager to learn more. This is because those who are honest want to know and spread the truth. As such, they are happy to listen to alternate ideas and statements that are told with equal honesty.
· They Take Responsibility
It can be difficult for someone to own up to a mistake that they have made. Many people are too proud or selfish to do so and will choose to turn up their nose and deflect blame instead. Honest people would never do such a thing.
It’s easy to point fingers and insinuate that it wasn’t your fault, but an honest individual does not make ridiculous excuses. When they know they’ve done something wrong, they step up to the plate and own up to it. Plus, they are willing to do whatever they need to in order to fix the issue they may have caused.
5. They Stand By Their Values
If your best friends are honest, they will likely also be the kinds of people to stick by their virtues and values. They tend to be more confident in their beliefs, and studies have even shown that those with high levels of honesty have more positive thinking overall. (3)
Even those who lie out of kindness suffer significantly, with their happiness dipping over time. Honest individuals are happier and more mature, and you can tell in these ways:
· Their Moral Values Are Always First
An honest person knows what they stand for. They will not allow anyone to shake their personal values. Their standards are high, and they would never compromise them just to please others.
This can rub off the wrong way on some, but that means that they cannot be shaken and that all their friends are trustworthy – yourself included. They pick friends carefully, making sure your values align with theirs.
· They Don’t Take Bad Treatment From Anyone
An honest person knows what they are worth. Anyone who attempts to treat them like less than they deserve will get a sharp talking to. You’ll learn from them how to command respect, and how to react kindly but firmly when you are being mistreated.
· They Are Protective Of Those They Care For
Because they are intolerant of negative treatment towards them, honest individuals also will not stand for bad actions taken towards their best friends. When you’re having trouble standing up for yourself, they will step in front of you – or beside you – and help you out.
Final Thoughts On Some Reasons Honest People Make The Best Friends
Honest people may have a sharp, blunt tongue, but that’s just a testament to their compassion, their strength, and their incredible loyalty to their friends. If you have an honest friend in your life, you’d better never let them go! While you’re at it, you can work on your own honesty so you can be a better friend to those you care about, too.
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