Whether it’s a committed relationship, having a baby, a change in job location, the fact that one of you is sobering up, interests change (see above); these are the things every adult struggles with when they have a longstanding friendship. For the sake of your new life, you *must* cut off the people who aren’t supporting you through those beautiful but difficult transitions. You owe it to yourself to be your favourite person if they aren’t equipped to be.

If you don’t know where you stand with a friend, it’s time to leave. Walls are built up and it is not your job to break them down.

Just because you’ve invested time in a friendship doesn’t mean you must stay to see it through—gone are the days we say that for romantic relationships; we shouldn’t say it for friendships, either.

If you have someone in your life who you want to let go of so they can grow (and so you can, too), leaving them to do just that is a gift. It can lead you to a little diner—out from the cold, and into the warmth of a new friendship.