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It's a fact of life: sometimes friends grow apart, and sometimes a break-up between them is inevitable. But how do you break-up with a friend in a way that is respectful and relatively drama-free? Well, there are many different answers to this question.

The first strategy is to simply become more distant. As harsh as it may sound, distancing yourself from a person is often the most effective in ending any relationship, and is relatively drama-free. You can simply state that you are extremely busy and do not really have the time to spend socializing with them. After a while, the person will either figure that you still do not have time because of your busy life, or will be focused on their own life so much that they don't have time to worry about how you feel.

But what if being distant doesn't work? There are sometimes situations where the person has not "taken the hint" and became tenacious about finding out what went wrong to the point of borderline harrassment. Hopefully, you won't have to deal with a stalking situation. But in this case, let them bring the argument to you first. Then state simply why you don't want to be friends with them anymore. You can be nice about it, but be firm in your stance. Negotiate and discuss how you both feel, by all means, but do not let the other person try to guilt-trip you or make you feel like you are a bad person because of the break-up. Chances are, there are a lot of problems with your relationship already, and by the time you decide to break-up with them, you can present them with a list of grievances detailing exactly why you don't want to spend time with them anymore. Be clear and honest about your feelings, and eventually, they will have no choice but to accept it and move on.

Break-ups can be very emotionally trying, but they don't have to be quite so bad if you stand your ground and are firm in your decision. When you know you want to break-up with a friend, do not waver or accept any unfair treatment; this is your life to live, and you should not compromise your happiness for the sake of someone who you probably don't even like anymore. True, breaking up is hard to do...but remember, everyone will have to say goodbye to someone at some point in their life. Be in control and you will be capable of handling any situation, no matter how difficult.

Learn more about this author, Caroline Fraissinet.
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