Friendships can be a great part of life. We get close to people, learn from them, make memories together, share our time, and grow. However, a painful reality is that people change and friendships can slowly disintegrate. Sometimes people just aren’t compatible anymore while other times a person can end up causing more harm than good in your life. It is not always easy cutting ties but, sometimes, it’s what is best.
Here are a few sure signs that you’re outgrowing a friendship:
You no longer have much in common
Say you met a friend in high school. You two became friends many moons ago at volleyball practice and had sleepovers every weekend. Fast forward to now and you’re interested in fashion and hanging out at posh restaurants while she likes camping and hunting. You might as well be living on two different planets. People grow, change, and find different interests and passions. That’s okay but sometimes it can mean a friendship fizzles out due to a loss of common ground.
You both are too “busy” to hang out
We all get busy at certain times in our lives, which makes it harder to see friends. For example, if you have a baby at home, you may not want to be out at the bars every weekend while a friend who is single may still love the nightlife. However, a real friend will make time for their friends no matter what. Instead of sharing wild nights out, you might plan movie nights after the baby goes to sleep or lunch dates. If you keep finding excuses instead of making the effort to hang out, you are likely outgrowing the friendship.
Conversations run dry
A big, glaring sign that you’re outgrowing a friendship is when you two do not have much to talk about anymore. You sit in silence for long, awkward pauses and the easy convos that you use to have just don’t really flow anymore. Trying to force things to chat about is a sure sign that it may be time to call it quits.
You’re tired of their same old problems
Another sign is if your friend complains about the same toxic boyfriend, the same horrible job, the same old hairdresser, or the same darn personal problem non-stop and you are over just it. While a new friend might be interested in helping them out with these things, your experience tells you that they are not going to be solving these issues any time soon.
They aren’t happy for your success
This one is simple: people who are not happy for your successes in life do not belong in your circle. Period. Move on!
Friendships can be more complicated than many first assume. While not as exclusive as romantic relationships, they are still highly impactful on a person. A friend can help you move ahead in your life by supporting you and being a positive influence, while they can also hold you back, becoming a source of stress and drama. If you have wondered if it is time to let a friend go, look for these five tell-tale signs.
