Friends won't make it all about them in communication. In addition to knowing when to share, they also know when and how to listen. Good listening skills in a friend are important because you need to feel heard and understood by the people you care about. Pay attention in your next conversation. Does your friend take the time to hear your message before responding? Even if your friend isn't the best listener, it should be clear that they are trying to hear you out and not just talking about themselves. Healthy relationships of any kind require boundariesfriendships are no exception. A good friend should be willing to acknowledge and respect those boundaries. At the same time, they shouldn't feel threatened by them. For example, if you tell a friend that you don't feel comfortable with them reading your diary or journal, they should respect your wish. A friend is someone who shows their affection for you in many ways, one of which is in their support for you and your ideas, interests, and goals. This person should be willing to clap for you when you are succeeding and help nurse your wounds when you are hurt. Everyone makes mistakes, and your friend should be willing to accept that you're no different. When you mess up and hurt their feelings, you might apologize and beg for their forgiveness. A good friend will gratefully accept your apology and offer you forgiveness. They won't hold your misdeed over your head or use it to manipulate you. For example, if you forgot to call a friend back, they shouldn't avoid you for several days. They should recognize that it was a simple mistake and not give you a hard time about it. The thing that separates a friend from the general population is their investment in you as a person. They care about you, which means they are honest with you, even if what they have to say hurts. A friend should offer constructive feedback if you're not doing what you need to be doing. For example, they may say, "You need to get up and study for your math test. Your grade is already lowCome on. I'll help you."

Summary: Determine if they listen. Question if they respect your boundaries. Figure out if they support you. Notice if they are forgiving. Listen for honest feedback.

Visit the library, subscribe to newspapers, and watch the news. You may have learned about past events in history, but brush up on world history by visiting your library and checking out history books about different cultures. To understand where the world is today, you need to see how past events have influenced the present. It is just as, if not more, important to stay updated on events happening all throughout the world.. Some things to learn about are: Global policies (international treaties), programs, wars (past and present), tragedies, positive happenings, politics, and entertainment news from all over the word. Information can be found in your local library, on the internet, and on television. It is possible to find international news in your language. It is positive and necessary to respect the values of a global community, but it is also important to learn about them. Some values to learn about are human rights, poverty reduction, prevention of conflict between countries, and sustainable economic growth. These values can be learned by visiting your local library, watching the news, and searching specifically for the values country by country on an online search. Consider cultures that seem far removed from your own culture. If you are familiar with Western culture, consider learning about countries like South Korea, India, and China. If you are familiar with Eastern culture, consider learning about France, Canada, and Norway. You can also learn about countries like Brazil and Argentina. Other values like religion, entertainment, and manners can be learned in the same way, but you also can learn about them by talking to members of other cultures. You will learn about values and events from reading, but you will learn about parts of the world you wouldn't have thought about by reading. You can learn about your own and other cultures by reading books, both fiction and nonfiction. Reading will allow you to get a glimpse into someone's mind that is not possible in any other way. You can look on websites like Goodreads and TasteKid for reading recommendations. There are many benefits that come from learning a new language. It is the best way to get to know another culture, become more open-minded, and bridge cultural gaps. Learning another language can seem daunting, but it is possible with time and dedication. You can learn another language on your own, in a class, and with the help of a willing friend. Check out a language textbook from the library. A book may not help you become fluent in a language, but it is a good introduction to the basics and grammar. Look for classes in your community. Sometimes colleges will allow enrollment, but there are programs that offer language classes in the community. There are also classes offered online. Once you have some basics down, try communicating with people who are fluent in the language you have chosen to learn. You can ask people in your community, or try communicating with people online, as long as it is done safely. Make sure the other person is willing and happy to help. Unless you consciously buy locally, there is a large chance that many things you own and buy come from other places in the world. Globalization has made trade, importing, and exporting easier and more common than ever. It seems positive because it has made some products cheap, but it is negative because the conditions those products are being made aren't always positive. Take a look at what you buy, see where they were made, and learn about the conditions they were made in. Some things you can search for are: What are the conditions for the employees at the factory where my shoes were made? Are the employees at this factory paid a living wage? Is the factory that made my olive oil ecologically responsible? Does the factory that made my t-shirt support gay rights? Being a global citizen goes beyond engaging with and understanding people. Learning about the environment we live in, and the ongoing climate change crisis is important, too. There are still people that refute climate change, but the evidence for it is prominent. You can do an online search to learn about climate change, watch documentaries, and read news that is focused specifically on the environment. To learn about what you can do to be more environmentally friendly, do an online search for The Environmental Protection Agency. Their website offers a list of things you can do in your daily life to limit greenhouse gas emissions.
Summary: Learn about current and past events. Discover the values of other cultures. Read as much as possible. Learn another language. Learn about your purchases. Understand climate change.