How to end a friendship with a person without enmity?
It takes years to build a true friendship, but it can be destroyed very quickly. Ending a friendship is like breaking up a relationship between a man and a woman. It can be painful, sad, and excruciating. But if a situation has arisen in your life that the time has come to part with your friend, then I will give you practical advice on how to end a friendship without enmity and unpleasant consequences. Just before we get to the main part, think again. Are you really sure you want to end your friendship that has lasted for so long? Could it still be possible to sort it out?
1) find meaningful reasons for ending your friendship
Perhaps a friend deceived you, betrayed you, or simply stopped respecting you. There can be many reasons why people decide to end a friendship. Identify these reasons and write them down point by point on a piece of paper. Leave this list in your room and read it the next day when you wake up. This will give you the double confidence that the reasons for your breakup are really meaningful.
2) Consider how your mutual friends will react
Ending a friendship with someone from your environment can have a negative impact on your social circle. Some of your friends will be on your side and some on your friend’s side. So think in advance about the possible consequences of ending a friendship. Before you break the connection with a specific person. Get ready to lose mutual friends. More importantly, be prepared to justify your position in front of them.
3) Be confident in your decision to end the friendship
This decision must be deliberate so that you do not regret it in the future. It can be painful and painful if you blame yourself after a while. Think well and make a firm decision that will benefit your social life, not the other way around. Once you do this, there is no turning back.
4) ending a friendship is not easy
Ending a friendship and forgetting a person is not as easy as it seems at first glance. You will have to be patient and emotionally prepared for such a step. Because the consequences of your decision will lead to certain changes in your social life. Think it over again, take courage, and start taking concrete steps.
5) stop sharing secrets with him
The first thing you should do if you want to end your friendship with a person is to reduce your communication. Various gossip and secrets will passively maintain an emotional connection between you. You don’t need to suddenly end your communication. Just stop sharing personal moments in your life, and try to tone down your conversations to be colder.
6) Don’t block your friend on social media
Ending a social media friendship will make it obvious that you are desperate to get rid of the person. Such a move can lead to resentment and long-term hostility. Live your virtual life as usual. Don’t ignore the person, but start increasing the amount of time you respond to their comments or posts. Do this gradually and do not let it become obvious to everyone that your friendship with a particular person is ending.
7) start avoiding calls gradually
The next step, how to end your friendship with a person, is to ignore his calls. Unless there has been a strong quarrel between you, you do not need to completely abandon your friend. Just gradually start avoiding some calls. Wait an hour or two before calling him or her back. When talking, you don’t need to make excuses. Say you just didn’t see the call. Over time, your friend will become aware of the fact that you are deliberately ignoring him.
8) start spending less time together
If you don’t know how to end your friendship with a person, then start gradually moving away from him. Below are some phrases you can use to deny a friend to meet him.
- “I don’t feel well today, so I won’t be able to meet with you”;
- “Sorry, but I’m not in the mood to go out right now”;
- “Sorry, but today I just want to stay at home and take a break from a difficult week.”
Don’t make silly excuses, but be a little empathetic when you first refuse to meet. Over the next few times, be more direct in your conversations.
9) do not show anger and aggression
The person may start to confront you when they feel that you want to exclude them from your life. He or she will ask why you are not answering the phone, avoiding meetings, or not responding on social media. In this case, try to hide your emotions, be calm, and limit your excuses. The more you explain yourself, the faster you will find yourself in a defenseless position.
10) don’t feel guilty
In many ways, ending a friendship is like breaking up a relationship. There are many elements of human connection here, including trust and respect, which exist in both friendships and romantic relationships. Just like lovers feel guilty after breaking up with their partner. Friends, too, feel the burden of deciding to end a friendship. Be mentally prepared for this feeling of guilt, and don’t do stupid things.