Graceful Exit

If you’re in a bad relationship that needs to end – it's best to exit gracefully...

At some point in our lives – we usually need to put an end to a bad relationship. Henry Cloud, author of Necessary Endings,” has some key steps to take in order to end it gracefully:

• First, prepare yourself. Position photos of people you love spending time with where you’ll see them. This will continually remind you what you’re sacrificing when you waste time on the toxic relationship.

• Next, increase your interaction with the problem person. Avoiding it often drags things out. If you’re tempted to screen calls or contact – you’re better off confronting them instead of making excuses.

• When it comes time to actually end the relationship – place the blame on the relationship and how the two of you interact, not just on the other person.

For your exit line, Dr. Cloud suggests saying “I know this is hard to hear. It’s hard for me to say. This really is an issue and it isn’t getting any better.” Exiting gracefully without placing blame or hurting feelings more than necessary is almost always the best approach.