Friendship in focus: who's on your team?

Which friend do you call when you want to celebrate some good news - a promotion, an opportunity, something exciting. I spoke to Stylist Magazine this week about the idea of a 'hype friend'. This is a friend who is truly on your team. They believe in you, they are reliable, authentic, supportive. They will support you in private and hold you accountable. They will also champion you in public. They are realistic about your abilities, but they are also optimistic about what you are capable of. They want you to be happy and healthy, regardless of what’s going on in their own lives. Click here to view the original article. Just knowing that we have a personal cheerleader can do wonders for our confidence and self-esteem. It can drive us to believe in ourselves and our abilities, and help to drown out the sound of negative self-talk and criticism. A hype friend also helps us to connect with our sense of what we deserve - in the workplace and in our home lives.

What's the difference between a hype friend and an enabler? It’s all about motivation. An enabler encourages us to to do things that might not be good for us, and might even be harmful. A hype friend is simply motivated by knowing that their actions will spur us on to feel happier and more confident. What are some actionable steps people can take to be a better hype friend?

Notice how you feel about your friends. Are you genuinely able to support them and be a cheerleader? Or does something get in your way? Sometimes it’s hard to be a true hype friend if we’re struggling with our own feelings, like jealousy, anger or frustration. If we can acknowledge that these feelings are there (rather than trying to push them aside) it makes it easier for us to push our own agenda aside and be a supportive friend.

These are just a few quick thoughts from me on the topic - click here to view the original article in Stylist Magazine.

Keen to explore more? In counselling we can take a deeper look at your relationships with those around you. Click here to contact me, or click here to book a 30-minute introductory call.