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Almost everyone has been there at some time in their lives.
Whatever the problem is, you know one thing: you just aren’t happy around them anymore.
So, once you’ve decided that there is no salvaging the friendship, what do you do?
These are the answers.
To make things even harder, there is no accepted protocol for how to end a friendship.
Unfortunately, there’s no simple rule for a pain-free break up.
Relationships and people are complicated, and ending a friendship isn’t easy.
Abell conducted a study of women and their friendship.
She interviewed the friends of women who had confessed to treating their friends poorly and undermining their confidence.
“Or they would defend the friend and say, ‘It’s just who they are.'”
Abell warns that staying in this sort of friendship can be “emotionally damaging.”
Most of these friendships can be ended by simply spending less time together and letting the friendship fade out.
It’s much harder to do this with close friends, however.
Be really honest about what’s going on."
Many times, people don’t even realize that they are offending you."
If the friendship doesn’t improve, then it is definitely time to let go.
Bonior advises being straight up your friend andtalking to them in person.
In this case, it might be enough to simply cut back on contact with them.
Bonior warns, however, that you should not use this technique as a way to avoid confronting someone.
Sometimes it’s impossible to meet face to face, especially if your friend lives far away.
Other times, the situation might be so bad that you don’t want to see them.
Whatever you do, Frances says to keep it short and then “move on with your day.
Be gentle
Your friendship might be ending, but your friend still deserves to be treated kindly.
At one point, they were a very important person in your life and they deserve your respect.
Don’t feel guilty
While youmight feel guiltyfor ending a friendship, you shouldn’t.
There are many valid reasons for ending a relationship.
It might sound cold, but sometimes you have to put yourself first.
Take the time to grieve the friendship, before moving on.
Like any other loss, the loss of a friend can be a difficult thing.
It also doesn’t mean that you and your former friend did notshare some valuable experiencestogether.
“Write threeletters to your friend,” he says.
“The first should be written to express and release all your emotions.
The second can have a softer approach, with fewer negatives and more compassion.
Studies have shown that older adults with an engaging social life tend to live longer, on average.
Having a good social data pipe can help reduce stress levels and help you cope with life’s milestones.
The key is to have good friends.
Making and maintaining good friendships takes effort, but it’s worth it.
