Best friends are kind of like soul mates – when you find your best friend, you’ll never find someone quite like them. Friends come and go from our lives for all sorts of reasons, but when you have a best friend, they’re going to stay in your life no matter what happens between you. But what sets a best friend apart from the kind of friends that will come and go with the tide of your individual lives? There are some telltale signs that the person you have with you is your best friend and they’re never going to leave you.
Here Are 7 Signs You’ve Found Your Best Friend For Life
“The biggest ingredient in a best friend is someone whose actions you respect and who you can truly be yourself around.” – Renee Olstead
1. They always know when you’re upset
There’s no need for you to spell out when you’re feeling upset – a best friend will be able to tell that you’re not feeling 100% without you having to say anything. This person will be able to tell how you’re feeling just by looking at you, or just by seeing how you’re acting. Other friends may be willing to listen when you’re upset, but only a best friend will know what you need before you even say it.
2. You always have an amazing time together
Hanging out at the apartment? Amazing. Going to a bad movie? Awesome. Taking a walk to the store? Fantastic. Everything you do together comes out good, and you’re always having a great time together. You care more about being together than what you’re doing, which means that you’re always going to be having a great time no matter what you choose to do. You never feel like you’ve wasted time when you’re together, even if all you do is sit on the couch and watch television.
3. They’re always supportive
No matter what you want to do, your best friend is going to be supportive of it. Do you want to entirely change your major? Then your best friend is going to help you figure out who to talk to. Do you want to go back to school entirely? Your best friend will be the one to help you fill out the application.
“A best friend for life boosts you up, not drag you down, even if it means her moving to a different place to fulfill her dreams, or you having to sacrifice your social life to achieve your goals,” says nurse Trish Yulo.
Whatever your life goals are, and no matter how much they change, your best friend is going to be the first one to support you.
4. You have a lot of inside jokes
You’re constantly getting confused looks from all of your other friends because you have so many inside jokes that it sounds like you’re speaking another language altogether. Every time you hang out you seem to come up with more and more jokes that nobody else understands but the two of you. Sure, you may have a few jokes with your other friends, but you’re constantly making up new and hysterical jokes with your best friend.
5. They don’t ask for anything in return
…But you are happy to give it to them anyway. When your best friend offers their help, no matter what it is, you know that it won’t be a tally held against you. The same goes for you towards your best friend – there’s no reason to ask for anything in return because you know that they’re always going to be there offering their help whenever you need it. You don’t even keep track of who bought dinner last because you know that they will always offer to pay.
6. You talk every day
Texting, emailing, phone calls, or talking in person – it doesn’t matter how you talk, just that you always talk. Every single day. Maybe it’s only a few texts in the morning because you have a busy schedule, but that doesn’t matter. Your best friend will always make sure that they’re able to get in contact with you in one way or another.
7. They know you and keep you in check
Like, really know you. Aristotle defined a true friend as a “single soul dwelling in two bodies.” Your best friend knows you inside and out. They know the superficial things like your favorite food and your favorite music, but they also know the deep things like your childhood experiences and what your deepest fears are. They remember everything about you because these things are important for them to know. On the flip side, you know everything about them, too.
They use what they know about us to keep us in check. “Good friends will keep you in check to some degree and not let your head get oversized. They knew you before you made it big or achieved any accolades. They know the deep-down, base version of you. So not only will they support you when you succeed, but they remind you [of] where you came from,” says certified psychiatrist and the director of the Cleveland Clinic mood disorder unit, Robert Rowney, D.O.
Final thoughts on finding your best friend for life
Finding your best friend is like finding a piece of your soul that you didn’t even know you were missing. It’s someone who will be with you through thick and thin and who will always make sure that you feel listened to, supported, and loved. Good friends are important, but a best friend is for life.
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