Friendship implies a mutually beneficial relationship between two or more people based on a foundation that involves shared interests, emotional connection, physical proximity, and social support. However, these relationships are not always perpetual. As the circumstances change over time, the behavior of people changes, and eventually, friendships also evolve.
Interdependence and Voluntary Engagement are the foundations of relationships. Friendships, like any other personal relationships, are intensely dynamic. And to experience the benefits, people need to be willing to sacrifice, develop appropriate skills to maintain the bond, learn and practice doing what the relationship expects, and find social support if necessary.
However, introverts often have difficulty with relationships due to their anxiety over social situations. Their lack of voluntary participation results in their tendency to be more aloof or independent. I am both an introvert and a selective extrovert. Therefore, I can tell that most extroverts perceive introverts as strange due to their preference for alone time. Alternatively, some introverts might believe that people with too many friends are seeking validation. So, the need for introverts to have solitary moments should be applauded. Then again, one of the great things about friends is that they come in all shapes and sizes. And we can choose how many and how often we see them.
Being introverted or reserved is not necessarily a negative attribute, and neither is being extroverted or being able to make new friends.
Friendships can be complicated, and things may not always run smoothly. But the beauty of friends is that they are constantly evolving. There are no rules regarding how many friends one can have or how to interact with them. Whether you have a few close friends whom you see one-on-one, thrive in a big, boisterous social group, or make up your own rules as you go along, every kind of friendship is a gift to be cherished.
Check out the six types of Friendships and their dynamics that make up this list.
LIFELONG FRIENDSHIPS
Life is too short to stick with the same set of friends forever. People move, change, and drift apart. Sometimes we outgrow each other, and that is perfectly natural. However, lasting friendships are something to treasure. Lifelong connections can be rare and challenging to develop, making them unique. On average, these friends are familiar with every significant or minor event in your life. Family friends, Childhood pals, Kin, Close Colleagues, or even friends with whom you don’t always get together but share your life stories generally fall into this type of friendship. They show up for each other when it matters the most, be it death, marriage, divorce, breakup, or health concerns. Business partners, too, can fall into this category.
Lifelong friends can be vulnerable with one another because they are committed to addressing whatever issue arises. These relationships do not require verification or constant attention. Sure, there might be several differences at times, but ultimately, this type of relationship is Loyal, Generous, and Honest. They are focused on quality and not quantity. It is the kind of friendship that usually lasts for more than seven or ten years of mutual closeness. And after a decade, you can rest assured that these connections will last indefinitely.
BFF OR CLOSE BUDDIES
The basic concept of BFF is a best friend forever, yet it is not precisely the same as lifelong friends. Some people have one best friend for a lifetime. For others, there is no specific number of best friends during their entire life. Best friends know each other so well that they can read their thoughts and complete sentences for one another. They experience too many new elements and emotions together, good or bad. Plus, they know all their secrets as they tend to respect and trust one another, making it feel like family.
Yet sometimes, such closest friends only last for a short time. However, even if it does not last too long, there is a sense of bonding with this person right from the start. Most often, these friendships can last a lifetime, depending on the circumstances and voluntary participation involved. Relationships require time and effort, but without them, they can fall apart, no matter how solid the bond may be. BFFs are authentic, fearless, and adventurous. They are like your soulmate but without romance.
FRIENDSHIPS WITH BENEFITS
The term “friends with benefits” is popularly used around the world. Unfortunately, it is highly sexualized and has lost its true meaning. Friends with benefits are usually referred to as convenience friends. However, convenience does not limit sexual requirements. You can probably consider this option to share a taxi with someone. That could be your neighbor or co-worker who commutes in the same direction every morning. However, this sort of friendship can sometimes be detrimental to some people. Convenience friendships don’t necessarily have to be a bad thing. It is common for people to confuse friends with benefits or convenience friends with toxic friends, which I will discuss next.
But before we move on to the following point, let me elaborate on the term “friends with benefits.” A friend of convenience or a friend with benefits is simply a person who is around only when it is convenient and easy for them. Those would be the people who, if they weren’t around us at work or college all the time, perhaps wouldn’t be our friends. In other words, we would probably not hang out with them outside the required premises. Think of them as friends who need your help now and then, and vice versa. Unfortunately, this type of relationship can sometimes cause harm to some people as they might feel “used.” But if both sides communicate clearly, this could be a win-win situation for everyone.
TOXIC FRIENDSHIPS
Friends often fall out of touch for no particular reason due to the seasons of life. However, sometimes, a once-healthy friendship can turn toxic. You realize that you do not enjoy spending time with the person anymore as you used to because of their change in attitude or your change of viewpoint on life. Your relationship with them begins to suffer intensely. Instead of parting ways on a positive note, they start badmouthing one another. Indeed, it is unacceptable for people to betray you at their convenience when you previously shared a long and healthy relationship with them. However, forcing loose ties to tighten can only lead to negativity.
As I mentioned earlier, friends of convenience are different from toxic friends. That is because you, or a group of three or four friends, were aware of your circumstances and agreed on your convenience in a friend-with-benefits relationship. In contrast, toxic friendships are those where you are genuinely wounded, manipulated, and exploited emotionally, mentally, and financially.
Typically, toxic friends are those who take advantage of you or take you for granted because of your kindness. These people are often prone to unhealthy relationships because of an inadequate awareness of their childhood traumas. Having been a giver most of my life, particularly to my close ones, it took me a long time to realize that it is not appropriate to accept abuse from people who have not healed from their pasts. Taking care of everyone is not the responsibility of one person or another, regardless of your friendship. It is okay to let such people go if it takes away your peace of mind, especially when they refuse to acknowledge their faults.
ACQUAINTANCES OR WORK PALS
Friendship is a strong bond of mutual affection. A friend is someone you enjoy a strong bond with and a high level of trust, although you may not be related to them. In contrast, an acquaintance is someone you know. It is not a close relationship, but you are acquainted. People you see every day when you’re walking your pet or going for a jog through the block, folks you know to speak to, but not about anything of consequence or particularly personal, rather more about the neighborhood. For instance, your co-workers are also your acquaintances but are a bit more than your convenient friends. They are the people you can turn to with your career advice or new ideas for work projects. You enjoy a laugh with them during lunch or snack.
Your work pal does not have to be your best friend outside of work. The person only needs to be someone who clicks with you on some level. And if you two get along extraordinarily well, you can start hanging out with them outside of work. Similarly, there are other neighbors, mutual friends, and online contacts with whom you share some part of your lifestyle but not your personal life story.
ACTIVITY PARTNERS OR SOCIAL GROUPS
Activity partners or social groups are generally acquaintances or buddies who share your hobbies and socialize. But you are not intimately close with them. Now, you must be wondering why we need an activity partner or a social group when we already have best friends or colleagues with mutual interests. Indeed, some people might have more than just one hobby or would want to develop some new personal skills for bettering themselves. For instance, learning a new language, attending cooking classes, or going to the gym fit the bill. Whether online or offline, you are sure to meet friends or acquaintances with whom you engage in such specific activities.
Motivational peers are essential and just what you need in an educational environment, whether gym friends, members of your book club or dinner club, spiritual circles, or travel buddies. Perhaps it could be just a social gathering with work colleagues and acquaintances you know from your activity clubs. While you probably have friends who would be interested in doing such things with you, their schedules may prevent them from being available when it is convenient for you. Because after a certain age, everyone has their set priorities. Hence, even as a confident and independent individual, having a friend who can accompany you on a short trip and share activities when your other close friends are unavailable won’t cause any harm.
Additionally, you might be able to benefit from the free advice you receive from some of these social groups without actually getting close to one another. Perhaps something about the vibe is enough to keep you around for a long time. The experience of interacting with people who speak different languages and are from diverse age groups, classes, cultures, or races enables one to discover more about their identity and the world around them. It allows a person to grow as a human being. They may have polar opposite opinions from yours, but you can learn something from each one.