Well, my friend, if you came here searching for “how to end a friendship without hurting your friend’s feelings”, it shows you are already done with the friendship. Moreover, if you want to end it without hurting your friend’s feelings, it means you are a kind person. Whatever the reason may be, one thing is clear, you want to end it and move on.
Nevertheless, It is common to weed out some unnecessary things from your life to declutter it and stabilise yourself. Sometimes, we are fed up with some of our friends due to their actions and conduct. Such friends don’t bring value to our life hence, we plan to dump them and move on.
But, one thing you need to ask yourself is whether you need to break up the friendship or if things can work out. To get an answer to this question, let’s go ahead.
Suggested read, Childhood Friends: How to Nurture a Strong Bond
Signs That You Need to Break Up Friendship:
- He trespasses on your boundaries
If your friend constantly trespasses on your boundaries, it is a sign that he doesn’t care about you. Whether it is a friendship or a relationship, respecting each other’s boundaries is essential. Nevertheless, if your friend trespasses the boundaries set by you, first of all, talk to him. If he doesn’t stop, prepare yourself to move on.
- You feel doubtful
Trust is the foundation stone of friendship. When your friend is not trustworthy or you doubt them, your friendship’s foundation is weak. The first option is building trust by having clear communication and assurances. If it is not possible, then you can consider the second option, to get ready to move on.
- He passes on your secrets
The relationship between friends is unique, they share everything and don’t hesitate to share secrets. Such secrets are not meant to be passed on. However, if you observe that your friend passes on your secrets and doesn’t respect your privacy, it means you need a new friend, one who deserves to be your confidant.
- Increase in toxicity
If you notice increased tussle or toxicity in your friendship, talk to your friend about it and resolve it as soon as possible. If steps are not taken in time, the friendship will eventually come to an end. In such a scenario, you don’t need to break up the friendship, it automatically will.
- You feel lonely
Friends provide company, they don’t leave any room for loneliness in your life. Some of them are so irritative that they don’t let you stay alone or rest, just kidding! However, if you still feel alone even if you have friends, then you need to think if you are really important to them. Moreover, some friends tend to ignore you over time, if you notice such a thing, talk to them for clarification. Nevertheless, if you notice this more often, get ready to learn How to end your friendship.
Related blog- Online Friendships: Making Friends Beyond Borders
How To End a Friendship Respectfully?
We learnt about the signs that show you need to break up the friendship. Let’s proceed further and learn how to end a friendship respectfully, without hurting your friend’s feelings.
Be mentally prepared
To end a friendship gracefully, you need to prepare yourself mentally. Now, you might be thinking, why? Well, It will help you express yourself clearly and prevent emotional breakdown. Moreover, it will also help you to be in control if things become tense during the talks.
Express yourself clearly
The next big thing is to express your feelings clearly. Mention the reason behind your decision to break the friendship. Also, explain the reason with valid proof and instances. If the other person is not convinced, don’t exhaust yourself in this futile effort.
Avoid blame games
During talks, don’t indulge in the blame game and if your friend does so, listen to him and keep quiet. This will give the impression that you are serious and uninterested in his made-up stories.
Talk about how to end friendship respectfully
Not all people are stupid, some understand the situation and want a conclusion. If your friend seems convinced with your talks, end the friendship respectfully.
Appreciate each other and move on
Last but not least, people have horrendous experiences staying in toxic friendships but it is always good to look for some good signs. Thank and appreciate your friend for whatever good things he did for you. In addition, you can praise his support and understanding.
How to End a Friendship When Your Friend Doesn’t Want to End It?
Well, some friends are so stubborn that they suck you till the end and won’t leave you even if you request earnestly. Such friends know your value, therefore they see you as a resource. If your friend also shows the same traits, do these things to break up a friendship:
Maintain distance
Start maintaining distance from that stubborn friend. You can do this by either going to your native place for some time or somewhere on a break. Apart from this, you can stop going to places where he visits more frequently.
Cut off contact gradually
While maintaining distance from him, if you notice some positive signs like- you don’t see him more often, then try going no contact with him. Cut off all kinds of contact with him gradually. Unfollow and block him on social media and delete his contact number from your mobile phone.
Conclusion
Friendship is an integral part of our lives, but sometimes, we feel we have a friend who doesn’t contribute anything to our lives. Moreover, we feel that his presence in our life has negative effects on it. In such a situation, it is better to know how to end a friendship and move on in life. Nonetheless, before coming to any conclusion, you need to find out if that friend deserves a breakup.
Once you are sure, you need to mentally prepare yourself to talk with him. If he is ready to go apart, then it is a good sign. However, if he is adamant about keeping the friendship, then you need to try other methods like keeping distance and going with no contact. These measures can help you end your friendship respectfully.