My old friend group vs my new one after I cut ties with my cousin

I used to hang with the same crew from high school in Austin for like 8 years. My cousin was always the loud one and I just went along with it till I realized she was trash talking me behind my back at a party last spring. I stopped talking to her and the whole group kinda faded. My new friends from the bar down the street actually check in on me and don't gossip, it's night and day. Has anyone else had a cleaner social life after ending a toxic family tie?

3 comments

3 Comments

max_torres4412d ago

Cutting off my toxic cousin changed EVERYTHING for me too. Ended up losing most of that old crew but the few real ones stuck around and now my social circle is way smaller but actually healthy.

kelly.charlie6d ago

Does anyone else notice how cutting out one toxic person has this weird domino effect on your whole social life? @max_torres44, that thing about losing most of the old crew but keeping the real ones, that's exactly how it went for me too. It's like once you break that first unhealthy bond, you start seeing other relationships more clearly, and suddenly you're not willing to put up with stuff you used to just accept. I've noticed this pattern with friends who quit drinking too, they lose the bar buddies but keep the people who actually care about them. The smaller circle might feel lonely at first, but it's a lot less work to maintain and you actually feel better after spending time with those folks.

sage_green12d ago

Totally get that, it's like shaking a tree and seeing what falls out. The ones that stick with you after you cut off a toxic person are the ones who actually matter. It stings to lose people you thought were close but then you realize they were just orbiting the drama. Small circles are way less draining. I'd take two real friends over twenty people who drain my energy any day.