The One Behavior That Separates Good Friends From ‘Elite’ Friends
It's simple yet incredibly meaningful.
StratfordProductions | Shutterstock There's no denying that life is better with friends. As important as they are, however, what's even more important is that these friends truly care about you and have your best interests at heart. Good friends are hard to come by. But the elite? They’re truly rare.
Yet one man argued that a single behavior separates the elite friends from the good.
Elite friends are happy to just be in your company without doing anything else.
According to a TikTok creator named Peter, the best friends are willing to be in your company without an activity or other distraction.
“Hey, sorry. I don’t mean to cancel today. I’m just not feeling up to it,” Peter said to a hypothetical elite friend.
“That’s OK," they would respond. "We can just stay at your house. I just enjoy being with you sometimes.”
While it's fun to go out and explore with friends, elite ones are happy to chill with no strings attached. With them, silence is not uncomfortable but soothing. Whether you simply sit at home and chat or throw on a movie, being in each other's presence is enough to have a good time.
Commenters agreed that this is a very special ability.
"My bestie and I took a nap in her living room while I was over for a visit. Another time, she did laundry while I read," one user shared. "I did not care what we did or didn't do. I just loved hanging with her."
"Quality time is how I feel loved so just being there means the world," another commenter wrote.
The consensus was clear — while all friendships can be treasured for what they are, it is extra special when friends can be comfortable together in contentment.
Xavier Lorenzo | Shutterstock
“That is some of the realest love there is,” Peter wrote in the caption of his video.
Science supports the importance of friendship in our lives.
In an article for Monitor on Psychology, Zara Abrams wrote, “People who have friends and close confidants are more satisfied with their lives and less likely to suffer from depression.”
In the article, Abrams discussed the emphasis that society places on romantic relationships but pointed out that we should not let our platonic relationships suffer because of that. In fact, prioritizing them might save your life.
“People with no friends or poor-quality friendships are twice as likely to die prematurely, according to Holt-Lunstad’s meta-analysis of more than 308,000 people — a risk factor even greater than the effects of smoking 20 cigarettes per day,” she wrote.
You do not need to spend money on elaborate outings to prioritize your friendships. As Peter pointed out, in the most elite friendships, being in someone's company is enough, whether you watch TikToks side by side, spend hours talking about nothing, or hang out in proximity while you both do your own thing.
These kinds of elite friends are hard to come by, so hold on to them when you find them. Appreciate their company and don't take their easy solace for granted.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.