If you’ve ever had a falling out with a friend or maybe you just grew apart, you already know that bestie break-ups are like relationship splits—but different.
If this is your first time or you need a little help handling the situation, we’ve got you covered.
The Decision
Ask yourself: Are they being competitive as opposed to supportive?
Do they constantly criticize you? Do you catch them in lies often? Do you feel used? If you answered yes to any of these, the friendship should end because none of those behaviors are healthy for you or them. All in all, if you don’t like the way you are being treated or you feel as though you’re not in the same place as them, that’s reason enough.The Break-Up
Once you’ve made your decision and have distanced yourself, your ex-friend will notice and may contact you. Or maybe, you were completely upfront and honest with them and they want to know why or get angry and upset with you. Be honest…in a gentle way. They may or may not take this well, but you’ll feel much better. “Good communication may lead to reconciliation or it may lead to a confirmation of why you no longer desire to be their friend in the first place,” said AJ West of LifeHack. With AJ’s statement in mind, telling them how you feel could ignite a desire for them to change. If not, move forward.
The Aftermath
In the event that the individual doesn’t react well to your conversation, they may lash out to mutual friends. If you hear that he or she is gossiping about you, let it go. Tell your friends your side of it. You can even keep it short, letting them know that you decided to move on from the friendship and that’s it.
Your true friends will understand and respect that. If others decide to pick a side, break-up with them too. Life is entirely too short to deal with the drama.Social networking after a friendship split can be much like a relationship split. The ex may post things about you indirectly and/or attempt to make you jealous with other friends. Just like you would with an ex-boyfriend, delete them! You may even want to block them so you don’t accidentally see anything you don’t want to see. You’ll also want to stay away from social media venting yourself. If you have the urge, stay away from Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The Grieving Period
Whether you were the one to end the friendship or they were, you may find that you’re upset and you miss them. This is natural. Allow yourself time to grieve. Hang out with other friends, vent to others (without being too gossipy) and think about the good times!
The New You
Remember that you did this to improve your life and reduce stress. Enjoy your new peace of mind and soak up the positivity from the others you still have around you.
Feature Photo via Cosmopolitan