Let your friends be bad at things around you. That’s where trust shows up.

You are somebody’s audience more often than you realise. When a friend tries something new in front of you, your first reaction decides whether they keep going or quietly stop, and a small amount of teasing at the wrong moment can close the subject for good. They are watching your face before they judge their own attempt. That is a lot of power to hold casually.

Next time somebody shows you something unfinished, lead with a question rather than an opinion. Ask what they are working on next. Save your honest assessment for when they ask for it, which they will once they know it is safe.