Some bridges need to be burnt

Do not be short-sighted and burn bridges that you might need in the future. In this world, relationships are everything. At work, at home, with friends, with lovers, with clients, bosses and even with a maid hired to take care of your children.

Burning a bridge means that you end a relationship in such a way that you could never go back and restart it again. If you ever desire to, you would need to humble yourself and make an extra effort to ask for forgiveness from the person with whom you had a fall out.

You burn a bridge when you quit a job by walking out one day and never coming back. You might even utter a few awful words to your boss and kick furnisher on your way out. Come to think of it, there are funny memes on social media where you are asked to pick a scenario that would best describe the way you would announce to your boss that you are quitting after winning lotto. It is funny because in all the options, there seems not to be an acceptable way of doing it. All the memes show arrogance, disrespect and contempt on the part of the quitter. He or she does not care about the consequences of his or her actions, because in any case, he or she will never have to deal with the boss again.

You burn a bridge when you break up with our partner via text message, telling him or her never to contact you again and then changing your contact numbers so that even if they try, you are almost dead and non-existent to them.

Whether it is a job, or a relationship, burning a bridge can be the most detrimental action you might regret your whole life. However, you are allowed and encouraged to burn a bridge if your integrity is at stake and the only alternatives are to burn the bridge or to do or say something that goes totally against what you believe. If you save that bridge, you might end up compromising your integrity, honesty and character. It may be necessary to burn a bridge with someone who lives to make your life unbearable. This might be a close friend or even partner who always wants you to know that they have “made you.” It may be professionally, socially or even economically. When you win, they are the first to shove it in your face that if was not for them, you would not have made it. Do not be afraid to close a door from that relationship and never look back.

Burning a bridge might also be necessary if you sense some negativity and toxicity from someone.

There is no way about it - there are people who will resent and hate you for nothing. For such people, you are allowed to burn that bridge for the sake of your sanity. You do not even need to announce it, just slip away quietly, or better still, be very scarce.