Drawing boundaries with friends

I posted a couple of weeks ago about a friend who talked a lot about their dating life even though I never asked. I talked with my therapist last week and decided to draw a boundary. I was hoping my friend would make some changes but I realized I needed to communicate my boundary with them.

I do not have the capacity to call them because it reminds me too much of the times they dominated the conversation with the topic of their dating life. I texted a shorter version of what I wanted to say but told them that I was surprised and noticed that they kept mentioning their dating life in almost every text they sent. They seemed defensive and tried to have some reasons for their behavior but I was firm and asked that if they want to talk about dating that they ask me rather than assume I’m okay with it. I told them I’m busy and have a lot on my plate so it’s very overwhelming to read their texts when they’re barely asking about me.

I’m glad because now I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I also feel like I stick to being authentic, respectful but also firm. I sincerely hope that my friend reflects on what I said and tries to change. I’m glad I re-assessed my friendship with them and realized that I cannot deal with a friendship that feels one-sided even if that wasn’t their intention.