Friends are a very important part of life. Whether they’re old friends, new friends, those that live 15 minutes away, or those that live thousands of miles away, there is no bond quite like the one that people have with their friends. Finding friends can be difficult, but once you find those awesome people that you can’t live without, it’s the greatest feeling in the world. Until it’s not.
Unfortunately, some friendships don’t last forever. There could be a million reasons as to why that is, but one very popular reason is toxicity. If you notice your friend(s) start to exhibit toxic behavior(s), it’s best to leave them in the past, as hard as that may be. You may be thinking, “Well, how do I know that my friend is being toxic?” Some examples of toxic behaviors that your friends may be doing include constantly canceling plans with you, consistently ignoring you, saying rude things behind your back or even to your face, and leaving you out of plans. Toxicity could also be your friend(s) participating in a lot of self-destructive behavior(s) that could really impact your life in a negative way. It’s important to keep in mind that there are so many different attitudes and behaviors that could be described as toxic, so be sure to always be aware of and put a stop to them, for your own good.
At this point you may be wondering how exactly to cut ties with a toxic friend. One thing you can do is to simply stop talking to and seeing them. You don’t ever owe anyone an explanation, so don’t worry about questions being asked about why you don’t want to see or speak to that person anymore because I promise you, you don’t have to answer them. Another way to remove that toxic person(s) from your life is to gradually distance yourself from them if you don’t want to cut them out of your life “cold turkey.” Make less plans, don’t text or talk on the phone as often as you usually would, and stop engaging with them on social media. They’ll get the hint, and if they don’t, by that point, you can just remove yourself from their life/lives completely. One last way to cut ties with toxic friends is to block them. That’s right. Block them. Block their number, their social media accounts, block it. Blocking may seem petty, or even rude, but your mental health and your peace comes before anyone and anything.
So now what? You’ve just cut a toxic friend out of your life, maybe even a group of toxic friends, and you are looking for some better friends. A great way to find new nontoxic friends is to go on solo dates to places like bars, coffee shops, book clubs, and restaurants, just to name a few! Going to places alone is a cool and exciting way to meet new people with similar interests! Dating apps can actually be used for finding new friends instead of a new partner. This way, you can talk to a person over the phone and get a feel for who they are before meeting up, just like you would with a date. Also, finding new friends through friends you already have is another fun and easy way to meet some new people! When meeting new people through mutual friends, you both already know that the other must be decent, or else your friend wouldn’t be friends with them! Lastly, social media could be an awesome way to make new friends. There are
tons of people who have become friends over their shared love for an Instagram or TikTok account!
All in all, someone who was once your really good friend could become toxic overnight, so it’s of utmost importance to be able to recognize those behaviors and remove them from your life immediately. Don’t be afraid to block that toxic friend out of your life for good. There are so many good people out there who would love to be your friend and treat you like you deserve to be treated! Remember, your happiness is the most important thing.
