The friends that you make in your lifetime are going to be the people that help mold the person you are today.  These are the people that you would do anything for and enjoy spending your time with.  Really, a friend can be anyone that brings happiness into your life, and that’s why having and making friends is awesome! But let’s be honest, sometimes we tend to take something so simple and add “rules” to it. Deciding you can do “this” but you can’t do “that”.  Or maybe even thinking you can’t hang out with a certain person or on the opposite end of the spectrum, feeling pressured to be friends with someone when it doesn’t come naturally. If there’s one thing I have learned about friendship, it is that you can’t label rules or claims on being friends.  So here are five common friendship myths debunked.

FRIENDS ARE FOREVER

While some friendships can and will last, other’s just aren’t meant to.  And that’s okay! Some people just change.  Change is completely normal and such a great part of life. But in that change it could mean interacting with new groups of people, letting go of old friends, making new ones or just simply growing apart. This is something that happens everyday. But just because you may not be friends right now it doesn’t mean you were never meant to be friends. It just means that you’re at different places in your life. And who knows, maybe one day those old friendships will make their way back into your life.

YOU CAN ONLY HAVE ONE BEST FRIEND

Who decided there had to be a limit?  Some people do only have one best friend.  This person is their ride-or-die for everything they do.  The person they consult with about life’s ups and downs.  Some people have that same connection, just with multiple people.  This doesn’t mean that your friendship with another best friend is any less, it just means you’re willing to share that relationship with other people that you care about.  You can have as many best friends as your heart desires!

YOUR FRIENDS CAN DECIDE WHO ELSE YOU’RE FRIENDS WITH

This is super common especially amongst certain cliques.  If there is a friend that has an issue with another one of your friends, they may ask you or even expect you to stop hanging out with that person.  If you’re okay without being friends with them and make that choice that’s totally fine! But don’t let anyone else make that decision for you.  It’s okay to continue and talk and hangout with another friend in this situation or with a friend someone may not particularly like.  It’s okay to keep your relationship going even if your friends may be strained at the moment.  And who knows, maybe you can be the one to bring your friends back together.

YOU HAVE TO BE THE SAME TO BE FRIENDS

This is so false! I love meeting new people who have different hobbies and interests than I do.  I also find that these are people that I can have strong relationships with.  The reason this happens is because your friendships stay fresh and interesting.  You can teach each other new things, new people and new places you might not have known before.  And when you’re not hanging out you can have things you do on your own.  Different people with different backgrounds, careers and lives can be the best of friends!

YOU HAVE TO SEE YOUR FRIENDS ALL THE TIME

Nope! Some people have the type of relationship where they can go months without seeing or talking to each other and pickup right where the left off. This doesn’t mean that your friendship is any less or different than anyone else.  This just means that your friendship is strong enough that you don’t need a certain amount of face time with each other to keep a connection.  Now there’s nothing wrong with seeing friends every day or even every weekend, this just means it’s still okay if you don’t.

Every friendship is going to be different, but just because it is different it doesn’t mean that it can’t be strong and successful. Don’t let these friendships myths get in the way of you and your besties.  Now go out there and be the best vina that you can be!

(Feature image via What She Said)