There are many reasons people stop being friends. Sometimes people simply drift apart. Other times, people start outgrowing friends. Every so often, however, a friendship breakup isn’t so seamless. Every so often, people must go forward with ending a friendship much like they’d end a romantic relationship. Which isn’t easy.
After all, making friends can be hard. And the older you get, the harder it gets. That’s part of why even the thought of ending a friendship can be heartbreaking. But that doesn’t mean it’s not for the best.
Ending a friendship can be an act of love
If a relationship—romantic, in business, or otherwise — is mutually beneficial, all green flags everywhere, the relationship continues. Indefinitely. Everyone lives together, grows together, during rough patches and clear skies alike. It’s only when both parties aren’t benefitting, when green flags are replaced by red ones, that ending the relationship even becomes a thought. And when, despite every effort, the relationship can’t get back on track, ending the relationship becomes a need.
Ending a friendship is no different. No matter how long a friendship it was. Regardless of the specifics, if a friendship becomes damaging to one or both parties, it may need to end. It’s what’s beneficial for both people.
The longer you sustain a friendship you’re better off ending, the longer you may grow to hate the other party. Resent them. And the longer and harder they may come to loathe you. Alternatively, the sooner you end a friendship, the sooner you are both free. Not merely from each other either.
The sooner you end a friendship, the sooner you and your ex-friend are free to move on and seek other opportunities, other friendships, other hobbies, other everything. The sooner you end friendship that needs to end, the sooner both parties are empowered to maximize the greatest asset any of us have: time.
Thinking about ending a friendship? If you know what you need to do, do it. Don’t delay. Time is a great parting gift. It’s a great gift period. So if that friendship meant anything to you, and if you can rightly prioritize yourself at all, put an end to stealing each other’s time. Neither of you will be able to return it.
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