We all have that one friend who’s not really our friend. We just tolerate them because for whatever reason, we don’t have the heart to let them go. Maybe we don’t want to hurt them. Maybe they’re lonely. Maybe we’re lonely. In the end, the reason really doesn’t matter. What does matter is that we’re wasting our energy on a stagnant friendship and the other person is being horribly misled. It’s not really fair on either end, now is it?
Although it’s easier said than done, there are some ways to end the friendship without too many hurt feelings.
1. Be Honest… Just Not Too Honest
Put yourself in your friend’s position. Just like in a romantic relationship, wouldn’t you want to be told that your friendship is going nowhere? Don’t pull the “it’s not you, it’s me”, but also don’t be too blunt. It’s probably nicer to just say that your interests aren’t the same. This doesn’t mean you two should avoid each other or anything! It just means that maybe you two just aren’t meant to be friends with a capital F anymore.
Stop liking all his/her photos and commenting on everything. It probably doesn’t warrant a response from you anymore. Your lives are separate now, so the social media validation thing can be put to rest.
3. Don’t Feel Guilty
It’s easy to feel like you’re abandoning someone when you end a friendship, but think of it more like giving yourself – and him/her – room to breathe. Remember that this isn’t a decision you made lightly, and you should always respect your needs. In the end, this is what is best for everyone. You are under no obligation whatsoever to keep a rotten friendship alive, and he/she is under no obligation to stay in one.
4. Learn From It
The most common reasons for ending a friendship are drama and growing up. This is a time to reflect on why the friendship ended and learn, just like in a romantic relationship, what you need in a person. If the person brought drama to the friendship, what was it specifically that was dramatic about him/her? Did you do anything to make it worse? If the issue was simply outgrowing the friendship, feel proud of yourself for growing up and moving to a new stage in your life. This has nothing to do with the other person, because staying the same isn’t bad! It’s just also important to recognize that change is good as well.
Yes. At times, even some good things have to come to an end.