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If they don't care, neither should YOU

We've all dealt with a friend or partner who, out of the blue, becomes indifferent towards us.

They cease making any effort to see or call us. They make every excuse in the book not to attend your birthday party or any other occasion you invite them to. When you confront them as to why they don't ever seem to give you the time of day, they don't have an answer.

This leaves us feeling hurt, confused, and frustrated. We want this person to be as interested in us as we are in them, but the scales just never seem to balance.

While it's true that typically one person is always more invested in the relationship or friendship than the other, it shouldn't be completely one-sided.

People make time for those who truly matter to them, even if it's by doing something as simple as sending a quick text message.

Unfortunately, some people get in relationships and ditch their friends. Others just have so many friends and acquaintances that they wind up leaving some in the dust.

Rather than try to rationalize why a person's behavior has changed -- as I've done numerous times in the past -- it's best to let them be and move on.

For example, one of my coworkers, who has always been known for her silly and bubbly personality, has mysteriously decided to give everyone in the office the cold shoulder.

I have tried being friendly with her, but she's put up a wall and seems like she's in no hurry to rub elbows with anyone again for a while. (Oddly enough, she is still friendly with those outside of the department.) My coworkers and I are at a loss as to her sudden change in behavior. Is it something I'm going to dwell on and lose sleep over? Absolutely not!

We all have bigger fish to fry. By focusing so much on this one person, we waste time that could be spent on another friend or love interest who will truly value it.

Face it: some people don't change. You can always bring to their attention how you're feeling and see if their behavior changes going forward, but there's no guarantee it will.

Alas, many will realize they screwed up once it's too late. There are those who don't know what they have until it's gone.

Life is too short to agonize over why a person is or isn't committed to your relationship. Once you feel you've exhausted all your resources and lost your patience, kiss that person goodbye and invest your time in people who really deserve it.

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