It’s no secret that we all have one person who can get under our skin, may seem genuine to our face, but we know from the get-go that they can’t be trusted. Yes, we are referring to a frenemy More often than not, they are easy to ignore, but what do we do when we have to interact with them on a daily basis? While it may not seem like an appealing prospect, having a frenemy might just work in your favour, if you employ the right coping mechanisms.
Here are five ways to deal with that frenemy like the boss girl you are:
Set Boundaries And Maintain Them: Even if the time spent with your frenemy has been constructive and conducive to productivity, it helps to not to be fooled by the sense of camaraderie. Given the foundation of the relationship, too much time with your frenemy can be damaging. It’s advisable to stay within the purview or agenda, and avoid getting overly friendly.
Use This Rivalry To Your Advantage: Negative feelings can tend to dominate so work twice as hard to keep your interactions to the point, but cordial. Moreover, learn to take the competition in your stride. Finding a balance between that love and hate can help you in the long run. Besides, the competition can be motivating and healthy if you use the opportunity to learn and grow.
Stay Cool, Calm, And Collected: As with every interaction, there’s bound to be some amount of friction or disagreement. However, when dealing with a frenemy, that friction and frustration can prove to be twice as much. The best way to deal with an uncomfortable or unfavourable situation is to not react, but respond. This simply means a reaction is usually driven by emotions while a response is driven by rational thought. So keep yourself in check.
Stay Away From Gossip: As juicy as the news might be, indulging in smack talk or fuelling rumours will only hurt you in the long run. To be able to remain unbiased with a frenemy, steer clear of negative conversations. Moreover, if person in question is ‘told’ about a certain conversation out of context, all the hard work you’ve put it when it comes to remaining neutral will be for naught.
Keep Your Friends And Frenemy Separate: This goes without saying, but you’re not going to open up to your frenemy the way you’d do with your friends, so it’s best to not socialise with both at the same time. This also works well if you know your frenemy is well-versed with sweet talking and manipulating his or her way to privileged information. Nobody wants that.