Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 2: How to End a Friendship with a Close Friend
• Method 2 of 2: How to End a Friendship with a Buddy
• Tips
• Warnings

When it comes time to tell a person that you no longer want to be friends with them, the question arises - what is the best way to do this? It all depends on how close friends you were. If we are talking about a friend you didn't know so well, you can abruptly end the relationship, or you can gradually reduce communication to nothing. If this is a close friend, it is better to say everything personally.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: How to End a Friendship with a Close Friend

1. 1 Take a time to meet him in person. Write a message and offer to meet somewhere in neutral territory. If you live in the same city, this is the best way to talk about ending friendships.
   • If your friend asks what you want to talk to him about, answer in general terms. For example, you might say, "I just wanted to share some thoughts with you." If your friend insists on details, remind you that you are going to discuss all the details in person.
   • If you and your friend live in different cities, send him an email or message to arrange a convenient time to talk on the phone. Of course, it is best to discuss such topics in person, but if you live in different parts of the country, this option is unlikely to suit you.
   • Be aware that the words you write may be misunderstood. And that's another reason that having an open, personal conversation with a friend is so much better, although certainly harder.
2. 2 Prepare yourself. You may have long wanted to free yourself from this relationship, but when discussing this with a friend when you meet, you need to be specific and honest about the reasons why you want to end this friendship.
   • If you want to tell the person how their behavior or specific action influenced your decision, think about how to frame the thought so that it sounds as non-judgmental and as neutral as possible.
   • You may not want your friend to know why you are going to end the relationship with him. And that's okay. You have the right to explain the situation in general terms or say a phrase like: "Much has changed in my life ..."
   • Keep in mind that you do not have to make excuses or somehow prove the correctness of your decision.
3. 3 Also, remember that your decision might surprise your friend a lot. Hearing such news may make your friend upset or angry. Perhaps your friend wants to somehow save your relationship with him. You need to decide in advance if you are ready to work on a relationship together, or if this is the final decision.
   • If your friend is hot-tempered, you need to prepare yourself for the best way to deal with the situation and take care of yourself. You don't need to make a drama at all - you have the right to just leave.
   • If you are determined to end the relationship, be brief. You don't have to take care of the person until they get better. Just communicate your decision and say it's time for both of you to move on.
   • Don't get into controversy and debate (whether you are right or wrong).
4. 4 Keep in mind that this situation is fraught with certain consequences. If you have been good friends and have been friends for long enough, chances are you have mutual friends and they will have to choose between you and your friend.
   • Resist the temptation to immediately tell your friends what exactly your ex-friend did that caused the relationship to end.
   • Try to get rid of the feeling that you have to defend and defend your point of view in front of your friends, because this will only make the situation worse.
5. 5 Don't discuss anything that your ex-friend did. Just say it was your decision. Your really close friends will understand the reasons for your decision without further explanation.
   • Perhaps your mutual friends will try to reconcile you. If so, change the subject immediately. Remind your friends that you are just trying to pull yourself together and move on.
   • Don't try to turn anyone against your former friend. If you lose your friends because of this decision, you can only conclude that they were not so good friends to you.
6. 6 Move on. Don't get hung up on the decision to end your friendship with this person - what's done is done. You have thought it over and made the most correct decision in this situation. Therefore, now it is no longer worth thinking about it again. If you start to doubt your choice or prove the correctness of your decision (even to yourself), you will only complicate this process.
   • At first it will be strange for you not to see this person in your life anymore, but believe me - you will survive without him.
   • Spend more time with your other friends. Try something new, go with friends to new places for new experiences.
7. 7 Take care of yourself. Eat right, get enough rest and sleep, and do what you enjoy. Treat yourself with love and kindness, remember that ending friendships is not easy and really sad.
   • Focus on the positive aspects of your life. What you like about your life today will help you to get rid of the sadness and sadness about the end of friendships.
   • When you catch yourself on negative thoughts, try to get them out of your head and replace them with more positive ones.

Method 2 of 2: How to End a Friendship with a Buddy

1. 1 In this case, gradual zooming out works best. Just try to see this person less and less - often it comes out by itself, but in some cases you have to take these measures deliberately. This is a good and effective way to show a person, without unnecessary talk or explanation, that you no longer want to be friends with him.
   • This method is great for ending friendships with friends with whom you were not already very close.
   • If you have only recently started communicating with a person, using this method you will not end the friendship, but simply show the person that friendship between you will not work.
   • If you decide to end your friendship in this way, keep in mind that you will need more time.
2. 2 Decline any invitations or suggestions from this friend to meet. One way to minimize communication with a person is to simply refuse to meet with him under any pretext. Keep in mind that you will have to tell lies from time to time for your plan to work.
   • For example, if a friend invites you to go to the movies on the weekend, you might say something like, "I'd love to, but I really have a lot to do this weekend, so I can't."
3. 3 Make excuses to end the conversation. It is possible to accidentally bump into a friend even when you are trying to distance yourself from him, so you need to think in advance how you will act in such a situation. Ignoring the person hurts their feelings and creates an embarrassing situation, so it's much better to find a polite excuse for why you can't quit your business and hang out with them.
   • For example, you might politely greet a friend and then say, “Sorry, I can't chat with you right now, I'm in a hurry and I'm already late. Maybe we'll meet another time! "
   • Try to treat the person as attentively and politely as possible. Even if you don't want to be friends with this person anymore, you never know under what circumstances you might face again. Therefore, it is worthwhile to resolve this situation as politely as possible - this will save you from embarrassment at a possible meeting.
4. 4 Try to be more proactive to end your friendship with this person. If your attempts to end the relationship gradually and politely don't work, you can try telling the person that you don't want to be friends with them anymore. Just be straightforward and say something like, “Look, you're a wonderful person, but you and I are too different. I really wish you happiness and all the best, but I think we shouldn't spend so much time together anymore. ”
   • Try not to "leave in English". This is the name of the strategy of behavior when we simply abruptly break off communication with a person without explanation. In this case, we simply ignore the person's messages and emails, stop answering phone calls and call back, remove him from friends on social networks.This strategy severely hurts the person's feelings, in some cases causing anger, and in some cases, anxiety for the friend's condition. Of course, this method is not ideal.

Tips

• Remember - you may only need a temporary break in this relationship. Try not to do or say anything that would ruin your friendship forever (unless you are really sure that you will never want to be friends with that person again).
• Maintain a kind attitude.
• If you no longer want to be friends with this person because of some kind of conflict or argument, if he just accidentally offended you and does not even know about it, think, maybe you can just talk to him. Take your time to burn bridges.
• If your friend or buddy is going through hard times, you definitely shouldn't go up to him and say, "Hi, you know, I don't want to be your friend anymore."
• Use self-statements. For example: "I feel _____ when you are ____." By building a conversation in this way, you do not have to poke a finger at a person, accusing him of certain words and actions.
• Do not report the end of a friendship via SMS or messenger. Sending a text message and disappearing is one of the most painful ways to break up with a friend. Try to talk in person. If you're too scared, tell them that you just want to take a break. Most likely, the person will start making new friends during this time.

Warnings

• If you choose to frame your thoughts in an email, keep in mind that someone else might see the email, and your friend might misunderstand what you are saying.