4 Key Reasons Why We Lose Friends As We Age – And Why It’s A Good Thing
By If you’re not losing friends, then you’re not growing up. As we get older our friendships evolve, we form deeper connections with friends that really understand us, while other friendships that fail to stand the test of time become less and less of a priority. So why does this happen? Check out the four key reasons why we lose friends as we age below.
You Have Less Time
As you age, your life gets a little more hectic and you often take on more responsibility. When you do get some free time, you prioritise your family and close friends – the people who have been by your side through the best and worst of times, the people who inspire you, motivate you and challenge you to be a better version of yourself. Losing friends that don’t matter isn’t a big deal. Your circle may be getting smaller but the connections you continue to nurture with true friends are much more valuable.
You Stop Tolerating Insincerity
When you were younger you probably tolerated people who were completely incompatible with you. As you mature, you will have less patience for people that aren’t genuine because age teaches us that it is better to have sincere friendships than shallow relationships.
You’re More Protective
As we age, we start to get more protective over our personal information and only share aspects of our personal life with a select group of people that we really trust. We choose to talk things over with friends that we know we can rely on in any situation, rather than acquaintances that only pop up every now and then.
Your Priorities Change
How many friends did you have during secondary school? What about university? How does that compare to how many friends you have now? Though friends might have been a priority in your younger years, you certainly have more demands to meet in your adult life. “The real bittersweet aspect is young adulthood begins with all this time for friendship, and friendship just having this exuberant, profound importance for figuring out who you are and what’s next. And you find at the end of young adulthood, now you don’t have time for the very people who helped you make all these decisions.” – William Rawlins, Stocker Professor of Interpersonal Communication.
So there you have it. If you start to see that your circle is getting smaller, embrace it and remember that you are developing deeper bonds and connections with friends who are there to help you face ups and downs. As with anything, quality is much more important than quantity.
Read more: 6 Ways To Decide If Your Friend Is A True Friend
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