Always speak up

Putting the shoe on the other foot, if you feel as though your pal isn’t there for you in the way you’d hoped they’d be, it’s OK to let them know that – you just need to do it in the right way. “Use a lot of ‘I’ statements,” Jacqui advises. “So instead of saying something like, ‘ You’re being a poor friend,’ just say, ‘I miss you. Is there a chance we can get together?’ or ‘I felt disappointed that I didn’t have you around at this particular time, but I really miss you and want to reconnect.’ I think if you hold everything back and don’t talk about things, it tends to breed resentment and that’s toxic. However, some friendships do reach an expiry date, so if not seeing each other becomes a consistent pattern over time and you feel neglected, then it’s probably worthwhile weighing up if that friendship still needs to play a role in your life.”