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And theres plenty of expert adviceand four Adele studio albumsout there to help peopleget over such heartbreak.
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But what about the pain of losing a platonic relationship?
Theyre our sounding boards, cheerleaders, coaches, and sometimes, stand-in therapists all in one.
So when weve lost a close companion, weve also lost someone we could turn to for support.
Sometimes anunfixable issueor a major difference of opinion is at fault for the fallout.
Remind yourself that its possibleand totally okayto grieve the loss of a friend.
Rather than dismissing these very valid feelings (But its not like we dated, right?
Try not to dwell on the good (and not-so-good) ol times.
Dont sink to the level of your ex-friend if they wronged you.
Some breakups involve a gradual and totally uneventful drifting apart.
Others, not so much.
Your first instinct may be to get even, but Wise highly recommends resisting that urge.
So are you supposed to just be okay with all this bad-mouthing?
If you wronged them, apologizebut also give them space to heal.
Okay, so maybe youre the reason the friendship ended.
Perhaps you said something insensitive or broke a promise.
(Hey, it happens.
Were not perfect.)
Itll give you an opportunity to express your remorse and demonstrate how it’s possible for you to change.
But its still up to them whether or not they choose to continue the friendship.
Speaking of….
Develop a new routine if your old one reminds you of your former bestie.
Thatyoga classyou used to take together may no longer bring you the joy it once did.
In other words, yes, youll probably feel a bit empty without themat first.
it’s possible for you to technically replicate those pastimes with another buddy, sure.
Accept that you might outgrow some friendships.
Its one thing to drop someone over a deliberate act of betrayal or some other egregious violation.
But, as we mentioned, there are often much more subtle factors at play.
And on that note:
Remember that its possible to make new friends.
There are plenty of fish in the friendship sea too.
Especially as an adult, initiating conversations with strangers and making new social connections can be extremely overwhelming.
