“My best friend is the man who in wishing me well wishes it for my sake.” ~ Aristotle

When was the last time you talked about your best friend? As children we have a constant flow of “best friends” but as adults, the term becomes far less common. Juggling family, a career and household can make maintaining friendships difficult, let alone best friend status.

But friendships and best friends are crucial to our well-being. June 8 is Best Friend Day, and we think it’s time to bring back the BFF.

Here are our 10 reasons why:

1. Emotional Support. Best friends are there through the ups and the downs, without judgement, criticism or complaint. This type of support is crucial to have through life’s biggest and most mundane moments.
2. Connectedness. A best friend is someone you simply connect with in ways that others can’t understand. They get you without you having to fully explain yourself or a situation. More than that, you know they are there for you, even if you are half a world apart.
3. Self-Esteem Boost. Having someone in your life who thinks you are important, who wants your opinion and values your company, makes you feel wanted. In turn, this boosts self-esteem and levels of self-worth.
4. Reliability. These are the friends you can rely on through thick and thin. When the going gets tough they will be by your side. They are there with a shoulder to cry on, a listening ear, or to join you on any adventure.
5. Thoughtfulness. It feels good to do nice things for other people. Being a best friend means you are more in tune with the needs of another person, and you do what you can to fill those needs – and vice versa. A best friend is someone who will do just the right thing when needed, on their own accord.
6. Fun. Who better to let your hair down and enjoy life with than your BFF? Be silly, laugh at inside jokes, and let life be fun.
7. Honest Opinions. Best friends are the ones who will tell you like it is. They don’t beat around the bush or give false encouragement. But, they do so with tact, respect and love. If you want an honest opinion, ask your closest friend.
8. Safety. When you have a close relationship with someone you are in contact much more frequently, and they are in tune to your personality and quirks. These friends will notice if you are suddenly acting unusual or if something isn’t quite right.
9. Loyalty. Having the confidence to trust another person completely is a wonderful thing. A best friend will always have your back; they will be honest with you, but they will not betray you.
10. Trust. You can count on these friends to be open, honest and loyal. They will keep shared confidences to themselves, and will not speak negatively about you to others. You can trust that this friend will be there when they say they will.

Close friendships don’t come about overnight, but they don’t need years of acquaintance either.

This June 8, nurture the friendships you have and look to form new ones.