The decision of whether to cut ties with someone, be it a friend or a coworker, can be very perplexing. You might think you are doing it badly or put it off repeatedly to avoid the unpleasantness. Many people tend to want to impress other people; therefore, their opinions may be your top priority. We fail to realise that worrying over someone who is no longer in our best interests is futile.
Understanding how beneficial it is to one’s physical and mental well-being to remove dangerous people from one’s life is crucial. Remember that it is okay to establish boundaries and exclude people who are not compatible with you.
Try to create distances
Separation does not necessarily mean creating distance. It just means that you are placing some limitations and setting boundaries. Also, it does not mean that you have to become a stranger, even though that might be the case in some circumstances. Be less involved than usual with them. If you meet with them every week, cut back to once a month, then every few months, and so on. You can accomplish this by inventing excuses, such as having work or family obligations, being ill, etc.
Drop Hints Subtly
The easiest and best way to gradually distance yourself from someone is to communicate your message through your actions and gestures. Become less sensitive to them. Wait a little longer than normal before returning their calls or texts. You can even choose to be completely silent throughout certain of their chats. Avoid being very close to them, like giving hugs or shaking hands. Try to avoid it or show reluctance if the other person starts the conversation. In social situations, avoid establishing direct eye contact or conversation with them.
Using body language
Be physically apart from the person. Avoid standing or sitting directly beside them. Physical cues convey subliminally, and you may tell someone is interested just by looking at their posture and behaviour. Avoid immediately facing the pesto to build a space subtly. Every time you speak to them, cross your arms or legs to adopt a closed-off stance.
Be truthful
Honesty serves as the ultimate saviour when everything else fails. People can fail to pick up on cues right away, in which case it would be better to express your feelings politely. Justify your demand for space.
Talk to them about what you feel is straightforward to avoid making them feel attacked. Share with them that it is getting harder for you to maintain this connection, so you would prefer some space at present. And in the future, if you feel okay, you will get back to them.
In short, distancing yourself from someone you love is not easy, and it does take time. So the first step after distancing yourself from someone is to take care of yourself. You can do anything that brings joy, like eating your favourite food or watching a good movie, and then you will start to feel better.