In every relationship or friendship, effort is always necessary. Have you ever thought back on how most of your important relationships last longer based on the amount of effort that's been put into it by both parties? Many people have some one-sided friendships, and they may not even realize it. Once you do begin to realize it, however, it can be extremely frustrating and confusing on how to handle the situation. I've had a couple of friendships that didn't end up working out. One of my ex-friends stopped putting in the effort and gradually, we stopped talking. I knew that if she really wanted to maintain our friendship, she would have tried harder, or even acknowledged the way she had been treating me. It was better for me to just let her go, because I knew I was wasting my time trying. But it's okay. Some people aren't meant to be in your life, and you shouldn't be a pushover. You have to know your priorities, and treat yourself with respect.

As we grow older, some friendships may slowly start to diminish. It could be because you've started to grow apart, maybe you've become too different from each other. Sometimes we become extremely busy, and we don't have as much time as we used to, to hang out with said friends. Maybe you've made new friends, and spend more time with them. Maybe you got into a relationship, and hang out with your significant other the most. Work and school gets in the way, and then you have to struggle with handling friendships, relationships, school work, your job, and spending time with your family all at once. It becomes too much sometimes, and maybe it's a little overwhelming for you.

Growing apart from friends is natural, and it can happen. It's quite common. Sure, you might be upset and you'll want to fix things, to save your friendship. But, you have to know the most important thing about maintaining friendships and relationships: putting in effort. The amount of effort you put in, is exactly what you'll get out from it. That's not always the case, as there are one-sided friendships. You might end up putting more effort into your friendship than your friend is, and it will be annoying. It will get frustrating.

You'll start to realize that you're always the one trying to make plans with him/her, and he/she will end up bailing or canceling. You'll become disappointed, and you'll wonder if it's even worth trying to save the friendship at all. It's not about how long you've been friends with someone, or if they were always there for you in the past. It's about if they're there for you now, in the present. It's based on whether you consider them a huge part of your life, and if you know that they'll pick up the phone at 3 a.m. if you're in trouble.

Friendships can be more intimate than romantic relationships because you spend so much time with your friends, and you share so many secrets, memories, and fun times. Your friends are the people that you can always count on. They're there to support you through your rough times, they give you advice and listen to you vent about your life problems. They go out with you to celebrate events, and they know what to do to bring your spirits up when you're down. But when is a friendship no longer worth it?

When you haven't seen someone in a long time, normally you would go out of your way to try to see them and make plans. Once you've done that, you've finished your part. Then it's placed in their hands, it's up to them. Anyone who cares enough about you would make the time and effort to see you and maintain your friendship. If someone isn't putting in any effort in your relationship, why should you? There's no reason to try to keep someone in your life who isn't trying to stay. So, think about your friendships and relationships, and know when to walk away. Don't waste your time on people who don't care about you. Effort and communication is the key.