I have always referred to reassesssing friendships as "cleaning out your friendship box." I like to think of it as an actual act where you physically have to remove the negative from your life. If you find yourself constantly carrying the weight of a friend of yours and their burden has started to impact your life in a negative way, it's time to make a change. If you feel that you are being used and you do not have a give and take relationship with your friend, it is likely time to move on. Trust your gut. If you feel anxious or you dread the phone call or email from a particular person, start distancing yourself and change the course of that friendship. Good friends are there for each other in good times and bad and there will always be times when you are giving more of yourself to a friend in need. It's when the friend is starting to drain you and becomes a constant taker, that it is time to cut the ties.
Don't beat yourself up for cutting toxic relationships out of your life. Friendships are definitely about quality over quantity and this applies more and more as we get older. Put yourself and your needs first for a change. Go through your friendship box and weed out anyone who is taking more from you than you can afford to give. Honor your friends who lift you and enhance your life and simply let the others go.
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