1. Be real. People are turned off by those who are constantly trying to be someone they are not. We are most comfortable around others who are comfortable in their own skin. So just be yourself. Even though you aren’t perfect, the way you handle your strengths and faults with humility and confidence will give other people permission to be real and relaxed with you, as well. Real friends are relaxed around each other.
   
   
2. Be honest. Keep your promises and do what you say you’re going to do. Be reliable.

   We are most comfortable around others who are comfortable in their own skin. So just be yourself.

   Nobody wants to be friends with someone who lies. And lies always have a way of coming to the light. Also, friends will say the truth to one another, even when it’s hard. The wisest man in the Bible, King Solomon, said: “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” Shannon got caught up in an eating disorder, until her friend called her out: “I was addicted to being skinny and looking absolutely perfect. I never really understood what I was actually doing to myself until a good friend of mine talked to me about it.”
   
   
3. Take an interest in the details of your friend’s life by being a good listener. Don’t watch television or text while your friend is sharing something with you. Most times people need more than good advice, they need someone to listen to them as they talk through their feelings. Ask them what’s going on in their life and how they feel. Mari commented: “Kyler is my best friend because he listens. No matter what is going on he is genuinely interested in how I am. He always has my back and would drop everything if I needed him.”
   
   
4. Make time for your friend. Time is one of the greatest gifts we possess. When we share extra time with a friend, we are giving back to them that gift. No friendship can develop overnight. It takes time. A real friend will take that time.
   
   

5. A good way to prove you are trustworthy is to be free to share some of your own secrets with your friend.

   Keep their secrets. Prove yourself to be a trustworthy person who will guard their secrets with your life. A good way to prove you are trustworthy is to be free to share some of your own secrets with your friend. King Solomon also said: “Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.” In fact, he went on to say, “Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family.” Are you willing to be a friend like that?
   
   
6. Encourage your friend. Everyone needs encouragement. Find specific ways to encourage your friend. Even in the depths of their struggles, show them what you see to be special about them and be willing to pick them up when they are depressed or feel like life is pressing in on them from all sides.
   
   
7. Be loyal to your friend. This is an unconditional acceptance, even when your friend

   Show your friend you are willing to work through the difficult times of misunderstandings and hurt feelings.

   makes a mistake or really screws up. Be there when they are experiencing their highest highs and their lowest lows. Laugh with them, cry with them, don’t just talk about always being there. Prove it in your everyday life! Delaney wrote to me and said: “I have great friends who are always there for me and always know how to make me happy.”
   
   
8. Be willing to work through conflict. Every relationship will hit a speed bump at one time or another. Show your friend you are willing to work through the difficult times of misunderstandings and hurt feelings. Sometimes friendships grow stronger through the difficult times. Don’t give up on your friend just because you are having difficulties.
   
   
9. Watch out for your friend. When you see your friend getting into a dangerous situation whether it’s with drugs or alcohol,

   There are people all around you who are looking for friends.

   or maybe even a destructive relationship, be bold enough to step in and protect your friend from the harm you see coming their way. Narda commented: “My best friend is more than a best friend, she’s more like a sister. And she feels that same way. We both have each others back, now and forever.”

Thursday, Aug 28, 2008 - 8:26:47 PM
hey i have to best friends jessica and brittany they might not go to school with me anymore and 1 lives 2 hours away but i no all i have to do is call them and they'll be there 4 me. they both help me deal with my times of suicidal depression wen my rents wont even notice it and i would do anything 4 them.
- Kaylei

Wednesday, Aug 27, 2008 - 11:39:03 PM
Hey Dawson. My best friend ever is joselyn. Her mom was my girl scout leader, i watched her brother learn about the world. She is always there for me and I love her sooo much. We can talk about anything. I always am giving her boy advice even though i have never dated myself. I wouldn't be who i am today if it weren't for her. At one point this last year i poked myself with a staple and was gonna start cutting. I did this twice. Because of her, I didn't start what could have been a life long addiction. She has saved my life. She is my heart. I love you Jojo!
- Kelsey

Wednesday, Aug 27, 2008 - 8:19:58 PM
dawson i am soo happy you have made such a difference in soo many lives including mine!!! thank you so much! the blog is so amazing and so true you rock!
- arianna

Tuesday, Aug 26, 2008 - 6:51:01 PM
Hi Britt, I know it can seem scary at first to call, but Dawson and the Hopeline can help you get through the call. They they are not going to judge you. They just want to help you with whatever you are dealing with.
- faith

Tuesday, Aug 26, 2008 - 6:34:58 PM
i called once but hung up. i cant seem to get the courage to talk. I feel like I am being judged. Is that true??
- britt

Monday, Aug 25, 2008 - 10:54:51 PM
Great blog! I wish everyone would abide by these rules!!!
- beth

Monday, Aug 25, 2008 - 12:09:23 AM
I love your show,and i love your website.You inspire me in many ways.I enjoyed reading this blog.I think im a pretty good friend sometimes.I keep my promises.But then again at times,i down myself about how bad of a friend i am.Just recently ive lost a lot of my friends.And two of them were the two bestfriends that i had.It hurts,because they promised theyd always be there,but now when i need them the most they arent.My friends say move on..But i say thats easier said then done.I need my bestfriends back.i wish i knew was this karma? What did i do too deserve this.
- vanessa c

Sunday, Aug 24, 2008 - 10:16:02 PM
Your show is amazing and this blog really gives me some incite on something I'm currently dealing with
- Chad B.

Sunday, Aug 24, 2008 - 10:06:08 PM
My best friend is Leslie. I love her so much we have been friends since my 10th grade year and i am 20 now. I couldnt ask for a better best friend. She always takes time out of her day to see how i am. when we talk on the phone we both genuinely listen to each others concerns and state both of our opinions no matter how harsh it seems. If im not feeling well she always says the rite thing to make me fell betteer or does something special for me. She also doesnt spend all of her time with her boyfriend she always puts me above him as i would do the same when i have one again. And i love her because she ia so real and doesnt try to be anyone esle but herself.
- Nikki R.

Sunday, Aug 24, 2008 - 10:00:31 PM
Dawson is the best, so when he writes a blog this awesome, it doesn't suprise me. I sit by the radio every night to see if he will come on! This friendship blog is a really good one. I have one best friend named peter that I tell everything. Next is sterling, who is a good friend but can be really annoying sometimes, because he is always trying to impress people, and he makes fun of us somtimes. Then is alex who is an great friend but not the same as peter. Alex is really down to earth, but can be funny too, but doesn't know when to be the right one at he right time. Last is brendan who I feel comfortable telling everything. My friends are the best (most of them) Dawson is the best friend for everyone though!
- Connor n.

Sunday, Aug 24, 2008 - 9:44:47 PM
so i thought your blog was pretty cool. me and my best friend have been friends for nearly 12 1/2 years now. we have had our ups and downs but were still friends. : ) even the times she tried to pull away and we didnt talk much i made a choice to keep on calling her and trying to help find the friendship we once had. sometimes one friend has to make the effort to be there for the friend even when the friend is not sure they really care if your friends or not.Me and my best friend amanda are so close right now its amazing.But without God none of this could have been possible.
- ~ comment left on the DMLive MySpace by ~ Pumpkin

Sunday, Aug 24, 2008 - 9:33:54 PM
i love that blog
- matt

Sunday, Aug 24, 2008 - 8:44:35 PM
I have a Best friend, her name is Samantha. We've only been frieds for going on three years now, but we have grown so close. I can tell her anything, and we never keep secrets from each other. She is always and will always be the first person I go to for help. This blog has helped me, to I can be her best friend too.
- Bethany

Sunday, Aug 24, 2008 - 8:34:44 PM
A good friend is someone who you can go to an tell them your most daring secrets someone who wouldn't judge you for the color of your skin race age sex or whatevr the case may be a good friend is someone who wouldn't talk behind your back to other people and your friend would stand up for you and fight for you if they found out someone was talking about you that to me is a GREAT friend.
- Ashley

Sunday, Aug 24, 2008 - 8:03:56 PM
Holly has been my best friend for pushing 7 years now. She is the sister I never had, my true other half. When people are really in love, they talk about finding their soul's mate, the one person they connect completely with. I've never had that connection with a significant other, but I can tell you that Holly is as close as it comes. To quote Anne of Green Gables, she is my bosom friend. I've never kept anything from her, she knows me better than I know myself.
- Beth

Sunday, Aug 24, 2008 - 3:22:33 PM
Thank you dawson for this blog. its so true and has helped me already. :)
- Micah,

Sunday, Aug 24, 2008 - 12:23:38 PM
Hey. I'm Claudia and God has blessed me with 2 best friends that have helped me through everything. They are Moriah and Hannah. I've known them for 18 years now and we've been best friends for that long. they listen to me problems and help me through them. Since we've been friends for so long we can always tell when the others need our prayers and help. God has given me the best friends in the world and I cna't thank him enough for them.
- Claudia

Saturday, Aug 23, 2008 - 8:42:19 PM
Hey I'm Courtney, 17 years old, and I've been blessed in the department of friendships; my entire youth group has the qualities you've discussed here and they stand behind me for everything. I do my best to stand by them too. During a week at summer church camp I had more than one of the younger girls wanting to talk to me about problems they were going through. I felt this sense of...well, I just knew that these girls were looking for a friend to talk to them and help them. I was more than happy to give that. I'm thankful to no end for the friends that I have in my youth group because they love me and I love them too.
- Courtney L.

Saturday, Aug 23, 2008 - 7:41:01 PM
Hey, Im Steven, I'm almost 18 and just about to finish high school. I have 4 best friends really. Even thought everyone is my friend these people mean more to me than anyone I know. My first is Katie. She's about ten years older than me but I can tell this woman just about anything. When ever I have a problem, shes always there to help me with it just like her niece what brangs me to my secon, her name is Halie, just one year older but she is tons of fun. I miss her when she is at collage but I see her a few times out of the week. My third is Micheal. I've know this guy ever sine I moved back to Mississippi. We hang out alot and have alot in common. Heck, we even joined the same TSA team in school cause of certain feilds like video editing and programing. My last is my mom. I know, I know. Most teens aaren't really fond of their parents but my mom has always helped me through tough times and has always guided me. I love all my best friends deeply. I thank God everyday for them.
- Steven

Saturday, Aug 23, 2008 - 7:07:24 PM
i really dont have just one best friend i have tons of them but tha main one would have to be abby r.! we have been through it all from tears to laughs and everything in between!! we have herd each other cry over a brake up and we have herd each other scream b-cuz of some jerk that broke our heart!! i had troubles with my mom and my dad ended up gettin custody of me which ment i had to move away and had to change skools!!! but we are closer than ever!! well of course we argue but we dont stay mad at each other for very long...its to hard to do!! shes my sister.. and i wouldnt trade her for gold!!!!
- emily k

Saturday, Aug 23, 2008 - 6:04:06 PM
Hey, Im Lora, 15 from Oklahoma. I have 5 amazing best friends. my first best friend is Jesus Christ himself, he is the most amazing thing in my life, I dont know where I would be without, I love him. Number two is Daisy Mae, she is my best friend ever, ive known her for 8 years she is always there for me, and I can tell her everything, and we are so comfortable with each other, I would take a bullet for her, we are goign to raise our kids up togther. Third, my sister megan, we are best, best,best friends, she is awesome in so many ways. Fourth, Emily, I love her so much, she is funny and we have so much in common. Next up, my best guy friend, Ryan, we dont hang out all the time ut he is like a little brother too me I love him so much. Actually I hardly ever see any of my bestfriends except my sister. Daisy moved to Missouri and emily is 2 grades younger than me and so is ryan. But Jesus is always with me!!!!
- Lora

Saturday, Aug 23, 2008 - 12:55:09 AM
my best friend is no one really. it's hard to trust people and all they do. everone one of my friends so far get me into trouble or talk behind my back.
- laini

Friday, Aug 22, 2008 - 9:35:28 PM
Hey, My best friend is Alyssa J. We have been through everything together. I've seen her cry and no one has seen her cry. She has been with me through my troubles. I went into states custody and she called every day to see how i was doing. When i came back she was standing at my front door waiting for me. And she lives about 30 min. down the road from me. Her parents have money and are married. My mom is single and we have no money. But that dont stop her from being there for me. But about a week ago, my mom called her mom starting a bunch of drama. Alyssa's mom and my mom came to the conclusion because they dont like each other they were gunna seperate me and Alyssa. Well we both know what they said but at school we still hang out and whenever else we see each other. For a few weeks the school thought we were Lesbos LOL, no offense to anyone who is im not hating. But we arent. We are like sisters. And we love wach other to death. We have never gotten into a major fght. We only got into a couple minor arguments but literally we settled it 2 minutes after it got started lol.
- Amelia

Friday, Aug 22, 2008 - 1:11:18 AM
i'd apologize but it depends on what i did to hurt them. like with my sister she constantly calls me stuupid and dumb which makes me feel bad cause i have a.d.d. and i almost failed 7th grade so i call her ugly which she shouldnt feel bad about cause shes really really pretty and everyone including her knows it but i always end up saying sorry not her. but if its physical you'd need a bit more than words
- erin

Thursday, Aug 21, 2008 - 11:42:42 PM
my best friend means so much to be because she was there for we when my twin brother past away, she has been my best friend sense we were in the 4th grade, and she has been there through think and thin and will probly always be there. a best friend to me means that you help eachother with what eve r happeneds
- blair h.