Hey, I resemble one of your bullet points! Glad you're taking some time to focus on your health, and happy to chat about online art education any day, any time, when you're ready!
Oh, Elizabeth! I cannot tell you how deeply this resonates. I ghosted my former "best friend" a couple of months ago. I'd done it once before when she did something horribly cruel but after a few years, she begged me to take her back and I did. Then, I realized, she and I really weren't a good fit. It didn't want to have to change myself to make her happy. So I've gone and blocked her again :)))))
A few things I want to suggest to you on this:
1. It wasn't up to you to maintain the relationship. It should have been a joint effort.
2. Just because someone was our friend once, it doesn't mean they're meant to stay in our lives forever. We outgrow people. We grow up and realize they're not good for us.
3. You don't need to feel bad about that. Your friend treated you shabbily and probably never thought twice about it. Don't waste your energy.
4. On that note, a Substacker you don't know IRL is not worth losing a moment's sleep over. When you find yourself wondering what happened, say, "You don't get to live in my head rent-free!) And have a cookie. Or an apple. An apple a day ... :)
I am a very empathetic person. I've had to block someone that I love very, very deeply (not that friend; a family member) because it was for my own mental health. When I second-guess that I remember this:
It's not cruel. It's choosing self-love over self-harm.
Give yourself a break. Take a walk. Make yourself some tea. Enjoy a good book or a new Substack. Or just find some way to put yourself first today.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful response, Jen! It’s difficult reconciling the messy exit with the need for it to keep my sanity. I appreciate your words of advice!
Hey, I resemble one of your bullet points! Glad you're taking some time to focus on your health, and happy to chat about online art education any day, any time, when you're ready!
I’ll take you up on that!
Oh, Elizabeth! I cannot tell you how deeply this resonates. I ghosted my former "best friend" a couple of months ago. I'd done it once before when she did something horribly cruel but after a few years, she begged me to take her back and I did. Then, I realized, she and I really weren't a good fit. It didn't want to have to change myself to make her happy. So I've gone and blocked her again :)))))
A few things I want to suggest to you on this:
1. It wasn't up to you to maintain the relationship. It should have been a joint effort.
2. Just because someone was our friend once, it doesn't mean they're meant to stay in our lives forever. We outgrow people. We grow up and realize they're not good for us.
3. You don't need to feel bad about that. Your friend treated you shabbily and probably never thought twice about it. Don't waste your energy.
4. On that note, a Substacker you don't know IRL is not worth losing a moment's sleep over. When you find yourself wondering what happened, say, "You don't get to live in my head rent-free!) And have a cookie. Or an apple. An apple a day ... :)
I am a very empathetic person. I've had to block someone that I love very, very deeply (not that friend; a family member) because it was for my own mental health. When I second-guess that I remember this:
It's not cruel. It's choosing self-love over self-harm.
Give yourself a break. Take a walk. Make yourself some tea. Enjoy a good book or a new Substack. Or just find some way to put yourself first today.
Because you DESERVE it!
Thank you so much for your thoughtful response, Jen! It’s difficult reconciling the messy exit with the need for it to keep my sanity. I appreciate your words of advice!
You are very welcome for my very wordy but well-meaning thoughts :)