They say if a friendship lasts longer than 7 years, it will last a lifetime. I don’t know the science behind this seven-year-old rule but I do know one thing: not all friendships are meant to be for life. Sometimes it’s better to let go and to cut friends loose. When is a friendship no longer worth your while?
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1. The reasons why you’re still friends are wrapped in a haze
Do you remember any of the things which brought you together? If you can’t list two or three reasons for why you’re still friends, maybe you should think of letting this one go. Childhood friendships are not a premise for life-long relationships, more often than not people grow apart and go separate ways.
Even if you’ve been friends all of your childhood and most of your adult life, it’s OK to admit you’re no longer close and don’t share the same interests and aims.
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2. You feel compelled to meet them
Not having anything in common anymore makes every encounter awkward, time-consuming and plain boring. There comes a certain point in life when you must set your priorities straight. Because life is short. So you’d better stop wasting it on people who you feel indebted to, just because you were friends since kindergarten.
You don’t have to feel bad or make excuses, it’s your own life, you don’t own them anything, there’s nothing to apologize for. Pleasing other people should be a thing of the past.
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3. They get on your nerves
Maintaining relationships with people who simply annoy you is a complete waste of time. As we grow older we realize our time is indeed precious, maybe the most valuable thing there is. Having people in your life who you don’t like anymore, simply out of habit, because once you used to be friends, is utterly in vain.
Why fueling a relationship if you can’t stand that person, are you deliberately impeding a peaceful future for yourself?
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4. You don’t want to introduce them to your new friends
Not wanting to introduce them to your new group of friends is a clear sign you don’t want them in your life anymore. Maybe they embarrass you or you don’t want to be associated with them. The reasons behind your decision may be, oh so many, as listed above.
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5. You don’t like yourself when you hang out with them
Maybe they were a bad influence on you back in the day, but really, still? If you think they make you do crappy things and you hate the person you become around them, it’s crystal clear you shouldn’t hang out anymore.
Sorry, we ought to invest in meaningful relationships only. ‘Time is long but life is short’, as Stevie Wonder wonderfully said it. Pass this on!
