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What to do - help please

4 replies

Sunflowers2047 · 12/08/2022 13:28

I've got two pieces of bad news to tell a friend - first that I can't come to her birthday, she lives 3.5 hours away but I can't get the time off work. I work weekends. Requested it off, didn't get it, have asked everyone to swap with me with no joy. It's a "big" birthday. I plan to ask her if she'd like to do something else together to celebrate like a spa weekend. Second is we talked about going to live abroad together and I've decided it's not the right time for me. I suffer badly from anxiety, low confidence and self esteem and avoidance and I have been stressing over this for weeks, affecting my sleep my mood everything. She is my oldest friend and the only friend I have from childhood and she means the world to me. Do I tell her both things at the same time? Do I send her a WhatsApp message? Help please, I'm so worried about telling her both of these things.

OP posts:
Sunflowers2047 · 12/08/2022 15:45

Bump

OP posts:
Twizbe · 12/08/2022 15:47

The birthday thing is no big thing. I assume she knows you work weekends so you being able to have the time off isn't a given.

You can keep trying to see if someone will swap but don't stress too much over that.

What was the plan for living abroad? How far advanced are the plans?

ChubbyCaterpillar · 12/08/2022 15:48

Personally I would park the living abroad thing as I'm guessing that's not as imminent. I'd call her to tell her about the birthday thing so that she can hear your genuine reasons. The spa idea sounds great!!

I'm sure she will be understanding but disappointed that you won't make it. Please don't interpret the disappointment in her being annoyed at you. If she's a good friend she'll understand.

Good luck.

Testina · 12/08/2022 15:51

Sounds a bit of a storm in a teacup. If she doesn’t understand that you’re working, she’s no friend. As for moving abroad… I presume she hasn’t sold her house on your promise to leave with her, and quit her job? She can still go. Please don’t phrase it to her as 2 lots of bad news! Deal with the birthday -just call her. Then presumably you’d carry on talking -so tell her the move is off too.

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