11. Support Your Friend's Dreams No Matter How Stupid You Think They Are
Your friends should cheer you on when the rest of the world doesn't. That's why, when a friend comes to you and says she's always wanted to:
- be a recording artist
- write a book
- have a baby
and more, there are ways to be honest with her and share your concerns without crushing her dreams.
Let's talk more about the recording artist dream listed here, because this seems to be one many of the Housewives, like LuAnn de Lesseps, Melissa Gorga, and Kim Zolciak have all done. Their friends have sometimes laughed at them, sometimes supported them, but the point is, they did it anyway, even when their friends disagree.
If your friend comes up with a dream that seems to come out of nowhere, talk to her about it, but don't make her feel stupid for wanting to do something new.
12. Friends Will Only Make Up If They Want To
There have been numerous episodes where one Housewife tried to get other Housewives to kiss and make up (anyone remember Ramona's attempts with Bethenny and Jill on RHONY?) but this has a tendency to backfire.
Rather than surprising two friends who are fighting with an impromptu "work it out" meeting, try talking to them separately instead. It's admirable to encourage friends to make up, but don't force it.
13. Listening Is an Art
There was a funny episode of RHONY this year where LuAnn was "one-upping" Carole during their conversations. LuAnn thought she was being a good conversationalist, when really she fell short on the art of listening, when you notice what people are saying verbally and with nonverbal clues.
In another episode, Ramona was upset with Heather because she felt that Heather talked too much. Of course, Ramona does, too.
What both these scenes show us is that listening, and the art of a good conversation, is hard to get right sometimes. Carole nominated Aviva for best conversationalist on RHONY, and gave her tips for good conversation:
"Listen, really listen.
Don't interrupt.
Ask questions.
Speak clearly and easily, but not too much.
Don't talk about yourself,
Or interrupt."
14. Know When to Step Back and Give Someone Else the Spotlight
Friendship should be give and take, with one friend shining the spotlight on the other and vice versa. But in real life, one friend may get jealous or just not know how to give the floor to someone else.
You saw this on RHONY this year when Carole shared that her book was being made into a TV show, and Ramona chimed in right away about her skin care line. It made Ramona, who we love to watch, look like she couldn't allow someone else to be the center of attention.
15. Friendship Is a Delicate Thing, and Can Turn or Even Break On a Moment's Notice
If there is one thing that the Real Housewives show us over and over, it's that friendships aren't made of stone. They can break or take a different turn at any time. Sometimes, an argument will build over time, while at other times, a sudden misunderstanding will totally change the direction of a friendship.
Perhaps without intending to, the Real Housewives illustrate that friendship in any form is a gift, and we all need to work at making our relationships the best they can be.