Having healthy friendships is a great thing, but what do you do with those “friends” that aren’t great to begin with? That rather than lifting you up, they live to tear you down and to make your life difficult. It won’t be easy, but here are some ways that you can let go of a toxic friendship.
Ask yourself if it’s really worth ending
Everyone fights with their friends every now and again, but if you feel that you are fighting all the time then you should probably rethink your friendship. So ask yourself, is this really a toxic friendship?
A toxic friend will be someone who will always be negative, competitive and who will even look to sabotage your growth and happiness. They are mean, selfish and ultimately don’t have your best interests at heart. If your “friend” meets this criterion, then you should definitely look at ending your relationship.
Have less and less contact
Instead of going cold turkey and ending your friendship in one fell swoop, you can start by slowly lessening your contact. Cut down on how regularly you contact them and meet up with them. If they send you some messages, send a response here and there. If they ask you to hang out, say thanks but that you’re busy with something else. This way they might take a hint and move on.
Set up one last final meet up
If you want a final end to your relationship, you should set up a time where you can meet to tell them that you are ending your friendship. However, you should make sure to keep things as brief and as clean as possible. You should simply let them know that they are no longer going to be in your life and why. Try not to engage with them if they try and turn it into an argument, just state your point and move on.
Let go of the guilt
Sure, your friend may have been part of some of the biggest moments of your life. But at some point, the friendship came to its natural end – and that’s ok. Forgive them for not being the friend that you wanted them to be and forgive yourself for letting go. You may feel guilty for ending it, but it is ultimately the best thing you can do for the both of you.
It can be difficult letting go of a friend that has been a part of your life for so long. But when a friendship turns sour then there is no point in holding onto it. If you are looking to let go of a toxic friend, then the best thing that you can do is be honest with yourself and with the other person. This way you can go your separate ways having learned from your time together.