As seasons change, so do our friendships. And sometimes these shifts involve realizing that it’s time to move on from a friendship and break ties. If you currently find yourself mulling over this decision, have been in this situation before, or are about to enter into that space, friendship expert and education Danielle Bayard Jackson can offer some perspective.

In this episode, you’ll learn how:

1. Empathy can hold you back
2. The dangers of maintaining the status quo
3. Fear of your friend’s reaction can be detrimental
4. To shift your perspective on what’s possible
5. The bad can outweigh the good

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When it’s time to break off a friendship, we can begin to experience a mix of emotions. Everything from fear, sadness, guilt, over-consideration to anger and confusion. It’s all warranted because deciding to break up with a friend can be as significant as a romantic relationship. It is important to note that this episode is not saying that you definitely need to break up with your friend. “Too many of us are already ending female friendships prematurely. But in order for us to grow and to make space available, and to make space available in our life, for new friendships, we sometimes determine that a current one is just not working.” – Danielle Bayard Jackson. But deep down, if you know that this relationship has run its course, staying can begin to cause more harm (to yourself) than good. So what’s the holdup?

One of the possible reasons holding you back? Ruinous empathy. You’ll learn more about this tricky emotion in today’s episode.

You may also be delaying a friendship breakup because of the fear of being mischaracterized by your friends and themselves. How does your attachment to others’ perception keep you stuck in tricky situations?

Another reason you may delay breaking up with a friend is because of the fear of the friend's reaction. Anticipating a direct and active breakup with a friend can be jarring, with anxiety and stress growing at the thought of how the conversation will go. But it’s possible. Working with a friendship coach can help you develop a strategy and script that will help prepare you and calm your anxiety before entering into these kinds of conversations.

To learn about 4 additional reasons why ending a friendship may be difficult, please become a member of our “group chat”.  Extended and bonus resources are always reserved for them, because they’re our VIP’s!

Thinking about all of the good that is being lost with the breakup of a friendship can keep us holding on longer than we should, but sometimes ending the relationship is necessary.

Your friendship expert, Danielle Bayard Jackson challenges you with a bit of homework – Think about the main reason you’ve been holding on to a friendship…What has it been costing you to stay?