How can I end a friendship?
Do you think the other person is a good friend for you? You shouldn’t have to change your personality to keep a friend. Be authentic and find friends who like you the way you are!
Friendship isn’t…
- always harmonious, without conflicts or disagreements
- always thinking the same thing and being in agreement
- living life in exactly the same way
- constant comparisons and competition against each other
- always being happy with what the other person does and never feeling disappointed
- giving without getting much in return
If it’s not working anymore with a friend, you might think about ending the friendship. Before making your decision, think carefully. If you act on the spur of the moment, you might regret it later. To make things easier, you might gradually build some distance, text less often, spend less time with him/her, etc.
If you definitely want to end your friendship, clearly identify the reasons. Choose a quiet time and respectfully tell your friend about your decision. Speak about what you feel and talk using “I.” Avoid accusing him/her and support your claims with observable facts.
Be discreet. Don’t talk about it to everyone, announce it on social media, send your friend a message through someone else, or ask your mutual friends to choose sides. The separation will probably be hard on your friend, and there’s no point in making it worse!
I need to change friend groups
If you’re having problems with your group of friends, you can talk to them to try to improve things. But if that doesn’t work and you don’t feel comfortable with them anymore, you might also choose to find new friends.
To create new friendships, you can engage in activities where you’ll meet new people. You might also smile at people you find interesting when you meet them, start saying hello to them, talk to them about anything and everything. If they seem to be reacting positively, you can suggest that you could eat together at school or invite them to take part in an activity. Gradually, you’ll form new friendships and change groups.
If you decide to leave your old group of friends, do it respectfully and don’t talk about them behind their backs. Just tell them that you like them but you want to meet new people.
