How to Save a Fading Friendship
Source: How to Save a Fading Friendship
Life happens, things change, and sometimes even the best of friendships can start to fade. If there seems to be a shift between you and a friend, then don't just sit back and let the gap grow larger. Instead, take the initiative and do what you can to rescue the relationship. Not sure where to start? Follow these five simple steps to save a fading friendship:
Recognize what's changed. If you're feeling awkward about your friendship, then take a step back to gauge how things are different. Do you hear from her less often? Have you stopped hanging out? Is it uncomfortable between you when you're together? Are you dating someone and spending more time with him? Before you can tackle the problem, you need to identify what's changed between you and your friend.
Shift your perspective. Consider your friendship through her eyes, and try to evaluate yourself as a friend. Think about how often you reach out, what you tend to talk about, and whether you make plans and stick to them. Remember that relationships are two-sided, and be honest with yourself about what kind of friend you've been to her.
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Start with the little things. Once you've realized what's shifted and what's missing between you and your friend, do whatever you can on your end. Even if a lot of the issues seem to be coming from her side of the friendship, it's important that you step up your game and make the extra effort to be there for her. Send a funny text, remind her of an inside joke, and try to set some plans in stone, even if it's just a short coffee date to catch up.
Just show up. Nothing can build or break a friendship quite like face time, virtual or otherwise, so as simple as it sounds, the best thing you can do is to just be there - and don't just "like" her posts, either. A recent study showed that social media hurts friendships, so make in-person interactions a priority. Say yes to plans, invite her to hang out regularly, and let your friendship rebuild little by little.
Get back to the basics. If you've done everything you can and your friendship still feels off, then you may want to talk to her, but if things are slowly getting better, then there's no need to stir the pot. Let your friendship shift back into place and keep holding up your end of the relationship. Invite her to do things you two have always loved, reminisce about old times, and keep following through on plans to make sure the present feels just as fun as the past.
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