Letting Go of a Friendship // When Friendship Changes with Time

Self Development Collective

I think one of the most confusing and painful parts of growing up is how friendships change—especially when there’s no big argument, just distance… or silence.

In this episode, I sat down with my long-time friend Dimitri to talk honestly about what it’s like when friendships shift. We’ve been friends for over 25 years, and our dynamic has definitely ebbed and flowed, but somehow, we’ve always found our way back to that same, easy connection. Still, we’ve both had experiences where friendships just faded—or ended without any real explanation—and it can leave you questioning everything.

We talked about:

• The difference between friendships that evolve vs. ones that slowly drift

• What it feels like when you bump into someone who used to be a “birthday dinner” person and now won’t even say hi

• That weird space where you’re not angry… but still hurt

• How relationships, timelines, life stages, and even effort (or lack of it) change friendships

• And yes… that sting when someone makes more effort with other people, but not you

I also opened up about how my past relationship impacted my friendships in ways I didn’t even realise at the time. And Dimitri shared a story of reconnecting with a friend after 8 years apart—which gave me hope that sometimes, the door isn’t always fully closed.

This one is personal, a little messy, and super honest. If you’ve ever had a friendship fade without really knowing why—or if you’re navigating that weird grief that comes with growing apart—I hope this episode makes you feel seen.

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