Who are friends? The dictionary definitions can be many. A person whom one knows, likes, and trusts, or a person who is an intimate associate. Then we can also say that friends can be in person or online. Your next door neighbor can be a friend, or a friend thousand miles away. Often a friend is someone you trust or enjoy being around. But then some people might be heard saying, we must have good friends. So the question arises, who is a good friend? A good friend walks the talk and shows that they care by their actions, big and small. Research has shown that better the quality of your relationships, the more likely you are to be happy. So being a great friend to someone and having friends support your back is good for your well-being. But what exactly makes a good friend? And we can hear sometimes people say friends are partners in crime. But are such people really friends? We read in the newspapers that a few friends committed a crime together. Is it really friendship? A friend should be someone who should help you rise in life. A person who should be a partner in your upliftment. A person who can dare to stop you from taking a wrong path in life. We are taught a lot of things in our educational institutions, but nobody teaches us to make friends or say good friends. We must choose our friends. But how? This knowledge can prove to be an asset wherever a person goes or lives. Our innocence helps to make friends in childhood. But as we grow older and leave homes for higher studies or say jobs, it gets really tough. As a result of lack of this knowledge, we are unable to socialize in new surroundings and sometimes, in fact, I should say many a times feel lonely. So today I'm going to share some facts who a good friend can be and how you can be a good friend to someone. So please bring in your pen and paper and note them down. Till then, I shall wait for you. I'm on a mission to coach and mentor 100,000 high school students and help them realize their dream of studying in the best universities of the world and build happy careers for themselves. Today I'm going to share your views on how to find a good friend or how you can be a good friend to someone. I believe all of you are ready to note them down. So let's get started. If you need to pause the podcast to note down, please do that. Now the question arises who a good friend is. A good friend is someone who is there for you no matter what, or a person who won't judge you or put you down or deliberately hurt your feelings. He can be a person who is kind and respectful to you, or someone whose company you enjoy, a person who is loyal, trustworthy, willing to tell you the truth, even when it's hard for you to hear. And he can laugh with you, sticks around you when things get tough, makes you smile, is there to listen. Comforts you when you cry. So if you treat the people around you in the ways that I just described, then you're already a good friend to them. But it's not always easy to know how to be there for your friends, how it can be done. One way can be listen to them, try to understand a situation from your friends' point of view. Ask questions to get a sense of the problem or issue. But the main thing is to listen to them. Because it's not necessary that every time you can come up with a solution, but then just being there might mean a lot to your friend. Then there can be a situation where your friend has some medical or mental health issue. Then if you are interested in what they are going through, it just shows that you care and then you plan to stick around no matter what's going on. You must definitely ask what they need. Because if you are worried about someone and you want to be there for them, then ask them. You'll then know what they find helpful during those tough times. And of course, you can offer your support, and that will be genuinely helpful. And suppose you are a hugger that definitely ask your friend if it's okay to hug them. And once you get that thumbs up, hug away. Hugging your friends can be a great way to show you care for them. Many a times physical contact can be very comforting, and especially when someone feels alone. Keep in touch, even if you don't live nearby. Show your friends you are there for them by making an effort to keep in regular touch through social media, text, or calls. Try to do this, try to find time from your busy schedule, because that will definitely mean a lot to your friend. Then tell them how you feel. You don't have to make a big deal about it all the time, but you can make a real difference to show someone is feeling just by letting them know how important they are to you. So go for it. Then if you think your friend's safety is at risk, you might need to act without their consent and get help. Now it can be a tough call, and particularly when you're worried about how they'll react. But then always remember good friends care enough to step up, and that you're doing it to protect them from harm. But then nowadays we see this too much loneliness around, and especially in young adults. In fact, research shows that experiencing loneliness in your twenties is near the top of the list of challenges for both Generation Z and the millennials. And despite all the latest communication technologies, the relationship between loneliness and young people is growing stronger as many young adults feel, a growing sense of isolation. Now we might say that actually the society is more connected to social media and mobile devices. So today's young people lack the intimacy of face-to-face human interaction, and that is the problem. So ironically, research on the behavior of these generations reveal that technology is a big part of the problem. Indeed, many researchers and mental health professionals believe that the omnipresent nature of social media and the constant availability of online communication lie at the root of the issue. Now, these virtual connections are actually preventing more authentic real life connections that the previous generations used to enjoy. A young adult might have thousands of Facebook friends and Twitter followers and yet still experience painful isolation in real life. And we can see the kind of society done by celebrities. They have, and many a times they do it out of depression, out of loneliness. And though we feel that their life is just great, full of joy, full of celebrations, then why are they lonely? A 2018 University of Pennsylvania study states that there are greater feelings of loneliness among people who use social media more frequently. So thus staring at their mobile devices rather than interacting with other human beings may increase loneliness in your 20s and beyond. But yes, there is a ray of hope because there are proven ways to reduce this loneliness. And what can then be? Limit social media use or spend time volunteering. Research shows that when we do such things that actually offer mental and physical health benefits, and of course, we should cultivate authentic connections because real life friends may need a bit more tending to that virtual ones, but the payoff will be worth it in terms of counteracting loneliness. Get involved, connect with them, do things with them that you enjoy. Maybe join a dance or art class, join a sports club. Or of course, you can once in a while get involved in a campaign for a cause you care about. And if nothing works, visit a therapist. Because working with a mental health professional can help young adults pinpoint causes of loneliness. So even parents should see if there are any, you can say, distinguishable changes in behavior of their kids or their spouse. So look after each other. Because having good friends and who love and support you for who you are is really important for your happiness. Figure out what makes a good friend and learn how you can be there for your friends when they need you most. This will bring happiness to your lives and you can excel in your life wherever you live. I hope you find this podcast useful. If yes, please subscribe to this podcast on Apple Spotify and Google Podcasts to get notified. All my podcasts are around 10 to 15 minutes. Please share a five-star review. And if you're part of my community, please share a like. If you wish to read a video, study a podcast.