5 Unspoken Rules of Friendship

No judgment. A friend is a person we can always rely on. They will always offer us support or advice when we most need it and they will always love us unconditionally despite all our flaws. That's why it hurts so much when a friend suddenly gets judgmental. Being judged makes us feel uncomfortable, and a good friend will never (intentionally) make you feel like that. While we can't expect our friends to always agree with us, we deserve to not be judged for our views and decisions.

No lies. A friend is a person who will always tell us the truth, however harsh it may be. That's why we value them so much (among many other reasons) – because we know that they will always be honest with us. However, this doesn't mean that you need to be brutally honest with your friends. A good friend is able to tell the truth gently without hurting anyone's feelings.

No competing. Friendship is not a competition. Sometimes it is hard to not get jealous of your friends' accomplishments, but jealousy and resentment can easily ruin your friendship. Don't compare yourself to your friends and don't try to outshine them, it won't do you any good. Learn to let them shine and be happy for them, and they will do the same for you.

No bashing. Even if your find your friend's significant other or relative incredibly annoying, you must by no means share these thoughts with your friend. Bashing people your friend cares for never ends well. The “no bashing” rule also applies to situations when you have had a fight with your friend and want to vent. If you have a problem with your friend, it's between you and them. There is no need to let others know about your trouble in paradise and bash your friend in public.

No dating your friend's exes. If someone has broken your friend's heart, they're off limits for you. Don't even think of dating them or hooking up with them, especially if your friend hasn't gotten over the breakup yet. It would be very difficult for your friend to see you with the person whom they used to date. There are plenty of fish in the sea, so go and find someone else. Pursuing some jerk who's hurt your friend is not worth risking your friendship.