How to Know if You Should Fix a Broken Friendship

If you've had an argument or fight with a friend and you don't know if the relationship is worth saving, you'll have to do some thinking and ask yourself some hard questions. The length of time your friendship has lasted as well as how close you and your friend are will be big determining factors in deciding to heal your rift or let the relationship go.

Instructions

1. Ask yourself what caused the current rift in your relationship. Was it something minor or major? If it included an issue that breached trust, it may be harder for you to forgive and move on to fixing the relationship.

2. Remember what you like about your friend the most. Think about his best qualities.

3. Think about what you dislike about your friend. Try to decide if you can overlook these faults.

4. Make a list of pros and cons about your friendship. Don't be hasty on this step, but really take your time to come up with a full list.

5. Look at the cons and see if there's anything serious there. Has your friend tried to steal your boyfriend or did she borrow a shirt without asking? Stealing boyfriends is a weightier issue than borrowing a top.

6. Examine the pros on your list and see if they outweigh the cons. It's not just the number of items you have listed; it's also about how serious each item is.

7. Ask yourself how much you would miss the friendship if it ended. If you feel you can get by without your friend, perhaps it's better to not try and fix the relationship. If you've been friends for a long time, consider that and all of the good times you've had with your friend before you call it quits.

Tips & Warnings

• Trust is a big part of friendship. If you feel you can't trust your friend, this can be a determining factor to end the friendship.

• Different people have varying levels of forgiveness and trust. Only you can know if you're too quick to judge and make rash decisions in the aftermath of a fight.

• Don't make decisions in the heat of the moment. It may take some time on both sides to cool off and look at the relationship rationally and decide if it's worth staying friends.