How to cope when you’re not over partying – but your friends are

But with the weekend in touching distance, what do you have planned? Will there be a chicken shop at 2am, or have things got a little bit, well, tame?

There comes a time when friendships naturally change – the love is still there, but your lives are diverging. And while your circle of friends is still in tact, your lifestyles and preferences may have shifted.

Millennials in particular will understand this change. Some are single, living in house shares and no stranger to the dancefloor, while others have settled down, perhaps already parents.

And of course, no matter your relationship status or age, there’s the age old introvert/extrovert divide to contend with too.

But for those of us that just aren’t ready to stop partying yet, what can you do?

Alison Blackler, a mind coach, says it’s key to not take your friends’ changed social preferences personally – even if it can sometimes feel that way.

She says: ‘As humans, our emotional brain can be running high in these kinds of situations and we often feel rejected. 

‘It can be common for friendships to change over time and holding onto how it used to be, can be uncomfortable.

‘Managing disappointment is an internal thing. So often we blame someone else for the feelings of sadness, isolation or in fact loneliness.

‘It is fine to feel disappointed initially when something or someone has changed but the power is in working out what you can do to help yourself.’

The first thing to do is compromise and accept the friendship dynamic might not be exactly what you want it to be right now, though that doesn’t mean it isn’t still valuable.

Source of data and images: metro