There are a lot of people I know that talk about toxic relationships and breakups. Everyone knows how to break up with a partner who is no longer bringing you happiness.
However, no one discusses friend breakups. What happens when your best friend stops being the best? What happens when your friends start doing more harm than good?
Toxic friendships come in many different shapes and forms. The easiest way to identify a toxic friendship is to recognize when you stop having fun. Spending time with your friends should be a positive experience. If you hang out with your friend and you leave feelings negative about yourself or them more often than not, something is wrong.
Something you should know about me is that I'm a pushover. I often let people walk all over me because I am too afraid to say no.
If you had asked me a few months ago for advice on friend breakups, I would have told you to just let it happen naturally. Of course, this isn't bad advice. Generally speaking, just giving each other space and avoiding them will do just the trick.
However, there are certain situations in which it's difficult to do this. If this friend is a coworker, roommate or someone you have to see on a regular basis, it will be a lot harder to just avoid the situation.
Today, my advice would be a bit different. As hard as it seems, the best thing to do in this situation is to confront them. Treat it similarly to a real breakup. Talk to them in person and explain why you feel the way you do.
It's hard to go into this conversation kindly. It will hurt. They will be upset and they may even be angry. Ultimately, however, it is pointless and even detrimental to you to keep a negative person in your space. To rid yourself of that negativity does not make you a bad person.
People change and life goes on. You owe it to yourself to keep your space positive.
