 Hey there, Psych2Goers. Isn't it wonderful connecting deeply with another human being? Being able to talk about common interests and laugh out loud on jokes together. Friendship is an absolutely essential part of the human experience. Sadly, some friendships don't always last forever. And that's perfectly okay. Sometimes whether or not they end comes down to a decision you have to make though. And making that decision is far from simple. If you aren't certain, here are seven situations where you shouldn't end a friendship. 1. There's a miscommunication Did your friend say something and you thought they meant something else, so you got mad? Or maybe you said something and they jumped to an incorrect conclusion. It happens. Especially because it's so easy to misunderstand someone's intentions over a text message, which is how so many of us communicate. The good thing in this situation is that the problem can be solved if you talk things out. If you're honest about it and you're open to working things out, there's no reason to stop being friends with someone over a miscommunication. 2. They're busy, but still make time for you Are you friends with someone who doesn't have time to actually be there for you? Does it hurt when they're always so busy, despite it not really having to do with you? It might make sense to end friendships with a friend who doesn't bother to carve time out of their busy lives to see you or talk to you. But if a friend with a packed schedule moves things around to be able to see you, even if you don't see them too often, they're a keeper. People make time for what's important to them, so if you see them at all, there's still the promise of a great friendship. 3. Both of you want to work things out, but you're too embarrassed to start. Have you ever had a fight with a friend that seemed important at the time, but after holding on to anger and not speaking for a while, you regretted it? It's true what they say. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. You might see that without your friend in your life, there's a hole that you can't seem to fill. Yeah, it might be hard to apologize and work things out, but is your pride worth ending something special? 4. Outside influences don't approve of the friendship Do other people have opinions about your friendships? Do they try to interfere with them? Maybe your friends don't approve of the friendship because you both run in different circles or because your friend isn't cool enough? Continuing on in the friendship in spite of such adversity is often a very brave thing to do. If your friend is good for you, that takes precedence. Other people will always be judging. What matters is how you feel with your friend and that you do what you feel is right. 5. Your friend can still bring you joy and make you laugh Is your friendship dwindling and you don't seem to have much to talk about or do together? Normally, that would certainly be a reason friendships come to an end, but if the two of you can still laugh together, you might want to reconsider. Laughter binds people together by making you feel good. It releases hormones called endorphins, the same ones that reduce pain and trigger pleasure. So if a relationship is full of belly laughs and inside jokes and happiness, it might be a good idea to remain friends. 6. One of you is moving ahead in life, but you still connect with one another. Life happens and people move on. It's difficult, but that's just how it works. It's easy in times of transition to say goodbye to everything from your old life to make room for all the new things, including the bonds you formed over the years. However, the wiser choice might be to make the effort to stay connected to old friends. If you're moving away, that might mean catching up over a phone call or a video call. Perhaps you're entering into a new career. That might mean managing your time differently to keep those friendships healthy. Doing so will be especially helpful if you get overwhelmed by your new circumstances. There's nothing quite as comforting as an old friend. 7. Their success makes you jealous, but also motivates you. Are you feeling jealous of a friend's success, but hate to admit it? Are you secretly comparing yourself with your friends? Sometimes it might be a matter of perspective. If you look on the bright side, your friend's success can help build you up and motivate you. There are people out there who like to feel superior and like to rub in their accomplishments in other people's faces. But if your friend genuinely cheers you on in your own journey despite their success, it might be best to put the jealousy aside and cherish the connection with them. Do you relate to any of these signs? While it's certainly okay to end a friendship if it doesn't bring you happy into some positivity, the decision to do so shouldn't be made lightly. After all, we're kindling a friendship after it ended is much harder than working on one that's still ongoing. If you found this video helpful, remember to like and share this video with those you think might benefit from it. Don't forget to subscribe to Psych2Go for more videos, and thanks for watching. We'll see you in the next video.