I don’t really think they do. I’m the type of person, unfortunately, who value people’s opinions too much. I feel like my friends tend to reap the benefits of the friendship with me and I’m not really sure if they actually bring anything out of me. They tend to look at my life and let me do what I want instead of give me advice, even if I ask them. I think it’s more because I’m extremely stubborn and haven’t listened to anyone’s advice until recently. I think if anyone brings the best out of me it would be my friend S. S, by needing my help all the time, is probably the most challenging friend. She comes to me for advice and I like to take care of her. She makes mistakes in her life and I get frustrated with her, but I try not to. I guess in a sense, she teaches me to be patient and not as judgmental. I find that I learn best by teaching others, and her being in my life helps in that area. I have to think about her and her situations and figure out how to give her the best advice. My other friends, they kinda just listen to me which is why I like them. I have a case of needing to talk everything out, especially my feelings and if I’m unable to, I get highly emotional… well, writing has been helping with that now, but it wasn’t always the case, since I would kinda write to them and it would end up being a dialogue than a monologue. I ask certain friends for their advice because I want other ideas than my own and I try to collaborate with them. Lately, I have been using my friend D for that who is a military buddy of mine, and though he is highly opinionated, which I like, he and I don’t often agree on things, but I’ve been working on taking his advice anyway and he has actually given me some good suggestions. My other friends are just there for a listening ear and in order to have a listening ear. I mean, our friendships are mutually beneficial since we both need to vent.

There was a friendship where the person did bring out the best in me, but I lost him. I think in order for a person to bring out the best in you, they have to truly be concerned with you and what happens to you, kinda like I am with S actually. In order to be that way with someone, though, you have to really know the person in question, and you have to know how to motivate them and what makes them tick. Its not really something that your normal every day friend will do for you; they will try if you ask it of them, but they don’t naturally do it in general. People usually get into friendships/relationships in order to obtain something that they want, in a sense… or at least they stay committed to the friendship as long as the benefits outweigh the downsides. That’s kinda why I put my all into my relationships because I’m terrified of people leaving me, so I give 110% to these people. I’m very easy to please, all I ask is that you’re here for me… some of the time. Not even all of the time. Just on the rare occasion that I feel that I need you. I don’t like to judge my friends and I feel better when they appreciate me for whatever it is that they need from me or I give to them.

So, I guess, I don’t really think that anyone brings out the best in me. I know that I try to be the best that I can be especially for the people in my life that I care about, and the things in my life that I care about, but no one really motivates me to do better and excel, and no one really is invested in my success anymore. It’s okay, though, I’m still extremely happy with my friendships/relationships.