Converting Enemies into Friends

By practicing forgiveness and communicating openly and honestly, people can establish healthier relationships with one another.

Sometimes, close friends can become strangers-or, even worse, enemies. Because there is no outward way of discerning who is an enemy and who is an ally, people must rely on their own instincts-and keep an eye out for consistently problematic behaviors. Indeed, enemies often reveal themselves through their actions. Manipulation, peer pressure, inflated confidence, a penchant for gossip, and dishonesty are all trademarks of toxic people. Too frequently, people fall into unhealthy, codependent friendships, and they don't know whether they should fix the relationship or walk away for good. Learning how to recognize and address these harmful behaviors can prevent a friendship from becoming unsalvageable.

Maintaining friendships is never easy in the best of times, but if someone feels as though their friend is actively deceiving, exploiting, belittling, or controlling them, then they have one of two options. They can either remove themselves from the relationship, or they can try and repair the relationship. If they choose the former, it is important to be as gracious as possible; after all, former friends don't have to-and shouldn't-become enemies. If they choose the latter, both parties must be willing to forgive, accept each other's boundaries, and communicate more openly with one another. With this book, people will learn how to identify and confront toxic behaviors before they ruin a friendship.