Old friends know the past versions of you very well. However, those experiences and images make it difficult for them to see new versions of you.

If they are opposed to change, and don’t want to lose you as a friend, your desire to grow in a different direction will feel painful to them. They will resist the possibilities of you changing. Effectively, they serve as anchors for your identity.

If you’re interested in changing, you may find that you need to meet new people as well. New friends and weak acquaintances can share a wider range of life experiences, possibilities, and relationships with other people.

That doesn’t mean you need to break up with your old friends, moreso that you need to add some new people into the mix. It just means the season of change is coming.

P.S., One idea is that old friends are special because you don’t get new ones. It’s not entirely true though—consider this idea: a new friend is just an old friend in the making.