Every friend you have will teach you a variety of things about how to be a better friend and what kind of things you'd like to have in a friend. Some of the qualities you might look for in a friend might be things like having common interests and activities; being a good listener; and having a willingness to work on the friendship to improve it.

Shhhh, It's A Secret!

One of the qualities to look for in a friend is being able to talk about anything and everything. You want to be able to trust and have faith that whatever you talk about with your friend will stay between the two of you.

If you are going to share something personal that you don't want others to know, make sure you communicate very clearly, that it is important to you that she keep the information to herself. If it is something too personal to be sharing, you might want to consider very carefully what to share with your friends. If a friend breaks this trust it is hard to trust that friend going forward.

Are they talking about you?

If you see your friend talking to another friend of theirs, don't assume that they are talking about you. There are many things they could be talking about like homework, what they're doing for activities or just even a new song they like.

Is she still your friend?

Sometimes when your friends speak to other friends, you might wonder if she will continue to be friends. Just because your friend is talking to other friends or spending time with other friends does not mean they will no longer be your friend. You will have a variety of friends throughout your life and they will have different purposes.

Your A.C.T.I.O.N. Step:

Write in your journal which qualities you would like in your friends and which qualities you have that make you a good friend. When something happens to end a friendship, write about your feelings, then rip it up and let it go. Ask yourself the following questions and journal the answers. This will help you in future friendships.

"What did you learn from this experience?"

"Which qualities did this friend have that you did not like?"

"Which qualities did this friend have that you did like?"

Affirmations Empower You!

Write down this affirmation and say it over and over. Affirmation: "I trust and I have faith that every friend will teach me an important lesson about being the best kind of friend that I can be."

Most importantly you must choose to trust and have faith that you will meet new friends. There are plenty of "friends in the sea"; you'll see.


Wendy Collier, B. Ed. is the Author and Illustrator of the Self-Esteem Angel Book Series for Children which are fictional stories with self-esteem concepts weaved into the plot. Collier's experiences as a former Teacher and Professional Speaker is evident in the effective tools and skills she shares. Help your children succeed in school and life with these valuable self-esteem resources. Order online at http://SelfEsteemAngel.com or Download E-Books at http://BarnesandNoble.com

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