“My word is this: A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.“

Proverbs 17:17

You might have heard of the saying, “You are the company you keep.” And this is true because peer pressure influences you in so many ways. 

Your friends can affect the way you behave, think, and react. In addition, they can also make or break your career as an influencer.

To choose friends wisely, you must first know the characteristics you need to look for and the ones you need to avoid. 

We prepared these nine tips to guide you:

How to Choose Your Friends Wisely?

1. Choose friends who are kind and caring. 

Kind friends won’t judge you right away when you make wrong decisions. They will listen to you first and give honest opinions. When they genuinely care, they won’t lie or say anything that will make the situation worse. Instead, their intention is pure, and that’s to help you reflect, solve, and learn from what happened. 

Friends who also find time amidst their busy schedule to meet or call you are under this category. Consider yourself blessed if you have friends like this right now!  

These gestures show that you are essential in their life, and they care. As you know, the more we grow old, the bigger our responsibilities become. 

2. Choose friends who will help you grow as a person. 

For us to become better humans, we need to constantly grow. This is difficult if you’re surrounded by people who hold you back. Stay away from people who bitterly say that “you’ve changed” or don’t look happy whenever you try to do something different. 

Go for friends who are also thirsty for growth and would want you to do the same. Be with people who encourage and support you to go out of your comfort zone. 

And who says you can only befriend people your age? Having friends that are older and more experienced in life is excellent as well! They can teach you many things to advance in life. 

3. Choose friends who will support your goals. 

Whether you’re thriving or struggling in your life or job, supportive friends got your back. You can find strength just by knowing that someone out there believes in what you can do and the power of your dreams. 

To help you choose friends wisely, try to share them some unique goals you have and see how they’ll react. 

If you’re surrounded by people saying that being an influencer is not a real career and doesn’t support your passion, it’s time to look for a better support system. Find friends who acknowledge your dream and encourage you to keep going. 

4. Choose friends who will bring you closer to God. 

No, not in the way of putting you in danger to meet God right away. 

Great friends will introduce God in your life so you can be saved by His love and grace. Simply being surrounded by godly friends can help you live in peace and love. 

Establishing relationships that are centered with God is stronger and more memorable. Also, those who live by God’s words know how to value people. 

5. Choose friends with good values.

Not all of your friends will have the same beliefs and values as you, but that’s okay as long as they have good ones. 

What good values am I talking about? Being honest, supportive,  understanding, forgiving, and loving. You may also create your list and see if your current friends have them. 

Don’t forget to choose loyal friends, too. As an influencer, you need someone whom you can trust. At times when you can’t defend yourself, you’ll be at peace knowing they will do it for you. With loyal friends, your secrets are safe as well. 

6. Stick with open-minded people. 

You can enjoy great conversations with open-minded friends. They don’t shut off people that have different opinions from them. Instead, they encourage it. 

They are curious about what other people think and will also share what they believe. You won’t need to worry that discussions will turn into arguments. 

Open-minded friends are also willing to take new adventures in life, which is a great thing. Business Insider even mentioned that open-minded people are often more creative, happier, and healthier. 

Who wouldn’t want to be surrounded by this kind of people? 

7. Choose friends who stayed with you during the dark days. 

Our life isn’t always rainbows and unicorns. And although it’s hard to admit, difficult times are great opportunities to discover who we are, be closer to God, and identify our true friends. 

Through thick and thin, real friends won’t leave you. They love you and stay with you even on your worst days. 

When you have friends like that right now, you’re fortunate. Not everyone does. So, don’t let them go and be that friend for them as well. 

8. Choose friends who have a love for life. 

People with this kind of attitude know how to have fun and simply embrace the beauty of this unpredictable and short life. Contrary to what you may think, they are not always carefree, and they know how to take responsibility for their actions. 

Having this kind of friend will motivate you to live your life to the fullest and be optimistic. You can also discover more compelling reasons to live. 

9. Avoid people that always talk badly about others. 

Gossiping is prevalent, and it’s actually not always bad. What’s terrible is spreading hate and fake news. 

If your circle of friends likes to talk badly behind another friend, chances are they’re doing the same to you. Real friends are honest. They will speak to you directly if they have any issues.

If you don’t choose friends wisely and continue hanging out with these people, you’ll always walk on eggshells. Anything you say might be twisted, and in your career, these people are dangerous. 

That’s All For Now

Being selective of friends isn’t an easy task. You will face difficult decisions. There will be people in your life you need to let go of. However, going through hard choices will benefit you in the long run. 

God wants you to have a support system that can stand the test of time, so if he’s removing people in your life, trust Him and take care of those He wants you to keep. 

What’s your favorite tip among the above? Are you surrounded by great friends or toxic ones? 

Sources

Kirby, S. (2021, February 5). The importance of having supportive friendships. BetterHelp. Retrieved October 14, 2021, from https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/relations/the-importance-of-having-supportive-friendships/.

Oppong, T. (2019, October 21). Research shows that open-minded individuals see the world differently – and as a result are happier, healthier, and more creative. Business Insider. Retrieved October 14, 2021, from https://www.businessinsider.com/personality-traits-open-minded-benefits-2019-10.

Pierce, S. (2017, December 7). 11 secrets to choosing the right friends. HuffPost. Retrieved October 14, 2021, from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/11-secrets-to-choosing-th_b_6038658.