Sometimes teens and even some adults don’t understand the appropriate give-and-take of relationships. A friendship can’t survive being one sided, where one person is always the giver and the other is always the taker. Eventually the giver has nothing more to give and the taker gets frustrated and seeks out another giver. Healthy relationships are a balance of “I lift you” when you need it and “you lift me” when I need it.

If you frequently tell your friend all about your life, but never think to ask about theirs, that’s an indication you need to try being more of a giver. If you are always apologizing, but you never receive apologies that’s a indication you may need to set firmer boundaries as a taker.

This isn’t about selfishness or selflessness, it’s about understanding how to create healthy relationships that last.