We learn the importance of friendship from a young age. Real friendship is beautiful, and true friends can help you through almost anything. It’s important you have the right people in your life and treat them as a gift.
But, how do we deal with the growing pains that can accompany friendship? What do we do if suddenly a friendship is tearing us down?
No matter how long you’ve known someone or how strong you think a friendship is, there can come a point where your connection starts to fade or becomes unhealthy. It’s painful and ugly, but sometimes it is healthier to just pull the plug, call it a day, and move on without this friend in your life.
As we develop relationships with people, sometimes we learn that people aren’t who they first appeared to be. In this case, pay attention to your instincts. Keep in mind what you have learned in the past, and remember that you’re worth more than you think. If something seems amiss, approach the friend and communicate your feelings. Then, if you can’t work things out, then your friendship simply wasn’t meant to be.
If you discover that someone wasn’t being honest, it’s OK to sever ties.
Sometimes friendships end when we grow tired of second chances. People make mistakes and we should fight for the people we love, but only if the effort is mutual. When we find ourselves giving tirelessly without receiving anything in return, we develop resentment and grow tired. This is the moment where we need to walk away.
If you are chasing a one-sided friendship, save yourself all the foolery and quit.
Other times, people actually leave us as we grow and evolve into the best version of ourselves. Even the one person you thought would stick around forever can leave under the right circumstances. When we walk down different paths, sometimes we simply drift apart… and that’s OK.
If you find yourself growing apart from one of your closest compadres, remember that you are strong enough to survive anything. You’ll get through it.
Things happen; sometimes you can’t prevent the ending of a friendship. If you find yourself in this position, try to end things amicably. By keeping down the anger and animosity towards this person, you’re less likely to dwell and more likely to move on healthily. Remember the good times, but keep in mind that what’s done is done, and try your best to move on without any negative feelings.
Not all friendships will bring you tears of pain, but rather tears of clarity. While it is hurtful to watch someone you thought was supposed to be in your life leave, it is more painful to be in someone’s life simply for show. Therefore, it’s important to know that sometimes ending a friendship is the only option. Be brave and keep yourself open to the possibility of having true friendship in your life; you’ll maintain many beautiful friendships in your life.
This article was written in collaboration with Liam Xavier.
Feature Image by Jonny Kennaugh on Unsplash
