Katie Treadway

Friendships are unpredictable. You might find that the person you had an instant connection with turns out to be a friend that’s only in your life for a season, while a person you had a slow start with ends up being your bridesmaid.

But how do you distinguish between a lasting friendship and a temporary one? Here are five signs to help you figure out who’s in it for life.

1. Things feel natural between you after months apart. Over the years, you get busy and you move, which makes staying in touch with friends more and more difficult. But if you can go months without seeing each other and chat like you’ve never been apart, they’re more than likely to remain in your life for years to come.

2. You admire them. We all have those friends who are fun to hang out with but aren’t exactly people we’d model ourselves after. They might enhance your life right now, but ultimately, you know you’ll lose respect for them or realize you can’t completely trust them. Well, lifelong friends are the complete opposite. They’re the ones who you know are genuinely amazing people and would vouch for them without hesitation.

3. You’ve gotten through rough patches. Being compatible with someone, whether it’s a friend or a significant other, doesn’t mean everything is always rainbows and daisies. It’s normal and healthy to argue and fight in any relationship; it just means you’ve had your differences and your bond is strong enough to overcome them.

4. You share values. It doesn’t really matter whether you like the same music, eat the same foods, or work in the same field. What matters more are your core values, the causes you believe in, and the principles you base your decisions on. If you have that as your foundation, there’s no doubt your friendship will last.

5. They’d drop everything for you. Your best friends are the ones you can turn to in an emergency, after a breakup, when you need a place to stay, or when you just feel lonely. You simply give them a call and they wouldn’t think twice to drop what they’re doing to be there for you because they know you’d do the same for them.

xx, The FabFitFun Team