Humans were created to be connected, and friendship is one way this connection shows itself. The best friendships develop over time and require trust, understanding, and communication. For most of us, friendship is a bond that we associate with loyalty, reliability, and companionship. People who are part of a friendship bring different strengths and weaknesses to it, and that means that there is also a likelihood for some friendships to become draining and toxic over time. Although toxic friends and friendships can be unhealthy, they can also teach us invaluable lessons about life and ourselves and eventually make us better versions of who we are.
Introspection
After a toxic friend has left your life for good, the chances are that you will have some time to reflect on the times that the both of you spent together and analyze the way that they treated you. Reflecting on unpleasant past experiences with your former friend can teach you a few lessons on what kind of people you need to stay away from in the future and how you will take active steps to treat those around you in the future. If your former friend was self-centered, petulant, and narcissistic, it could help you to be more compassionate and empathetic towards your friends and loved ones.
Self-respect
The more we mature in life and experiences, the more we learn that self-respect is priceless. Learning about self-respect makes it easier to acknowledge when a dead-end friendship is going awry. Acknowledging and accepting that a friendship is over is the first step. Allowing toxic people to leave our lives without becoming miserable (or begging them to stay) is the next big step towards knowing your worth and maintaining self-respect. Self-respect allows us to realize that there’s no need to get upset when toxic friends eventually exit. The end of a bad relationship can help us to develop unbreakable layers of self-respect
Intuition
The end of a friendship can make us realize that our intuition is a powerful part of who we are. At the end of your relationship, you may realize that there may have been moments when you felt that something was not right during your interaction with your former friend. You probably ignored that feeling, and after you saw your friend for who they are, you realized that your intuition was right on the mark. The end of a toxic relationship can make you realize that you need to listen to your intuition more often.
Boundaries
Boundaries are significant, and as an adult, it is especially crucial to set boundaries in place for your sanity. When you understand how necessary it is to have boundaries, you can fully protect yourself better. A toxic friendship can make the lines of boundaries seem blurred, disregarded, and insignificant; however, at the end of a toxic friendship, you will be able to assess the relationship and protect yourself in the future. If you learn to set boundaries early, you will be able to protect yourself from going down a toxic rabbit hole moving forward.