Whether this is a peer friendship, a senior-junior friendship or a mature parent-child friendship, it is hardest to be the kind of friend to whom the other person can come to and just say – “I’ve failed.”
Failure comes with all sorts of fear – especially a fear of judgment. And, in close relationships, the sorts of judgment we fear are the “I told you so” or “You aimed too high” kind.
So, how to be that kind of friend? Be the kind of person who is willing to put yourself out there and say “I tried that and I failed. It sucks.” It always sucks at first. We slowly come to realize it is no big deal. We just have to learn to relax, pick up the pieces, and move on.
The alternative is to attempt to hide these failures with secrets and lies – a recipe for unhappiness. You owe it to your loved ones to make it easy for them to come to you for support. Focus on creative, constructive, and corrective action. And, as is the case with these things, start by doing so yourself first.
A Learning a Day 