Make Amends With Your Friends

Sometimes heartbreak isn’t about romance – it’s the sadness we feel when friendships we once cherished fall apart. In fact, one in four people admit that a broken friendship has actually hurt them more than a breakup, and over two-thirds of us wish we could make amends with a friend we’ve fallen out with. But making amends can be a daunting thought, with 15% admitting they avoid reaching out due to fear of confrontation, and another 10% struggling to find the right words to begin rebuilding. Simply avoiding the issue can often leave us worse off, though. As many as 28% of people who have fallen out never reconcile, and over half admit that when they think about the special moments and milestones they’ve missed out on, they’re left with feelings of sadness and regret.

At Interflora, we believe that together is always better, and that’s why we’re launching Make Amends May. We want to help you reach out and heal those broken bonds so you can rediscover the strength and joy of friendship. We’ll be sharing expert advice from friendship expert Michelle Elman on how to take that first step, and offering you the chance to send your own olive branch in the form of a FREE bespoke card designed to help you express what’s truly in your heart. This is your chance to say more than “I’m sorry”.

How to repair a friendship

Okay, so you want to make amends with a friend. But… You don’t know where to start. Don’t panic, Michelle’s got your back. She’s drawn on her expertise and wisdom to give you her five most powerful tools for reconciling a friendship you don’t want to lose.

Actions speak louder than words. Saying sorry is a positive step in the right direction, but actually demonstrating it by changed behaviour or a small gesture can really validate how they are feeling and that you understand why they were upset. Sending a thoughtful card, some flowers or even inviting a friend out for dinner can really help heal the rift that has occurred and give you both the opportunity of a fresh start. Going the extra mile to show that all is forgiven can be really healing for both sides and helps demonstrate that you are taking accountability.

Expect the awkward moments! When your friendship has ended and you are attempting to re-enter someone’s life, you might both be walking on eggshells in fear of the next fallout. In order to avoid the awkwardness of the missed years, you can reassure your friend by acknowledging it. Saying something like “I know you won’t know this but last year when we weren’t talking, I was actually dating someone”. Avoiding the mention of the time when you weren’t friends will just add to the friction in rebuilding a friendship and by calling it what it is, it ironically makes the awkwardness disappear.

Apologising doesn’t mean losing an argument. We have learned there is a winner and a loser in an argument and the truth is, when a conversation goes south, you both end up losers but if you can heal, repair and come out with greater understanding of each other after, you both win! Apologising can be hard but saying you are sorry doesn’t mean that you are in the wrong. You can apologise for your part of it and it then opens the door for them to do the same! A perfect apology should include expressing regret (I’m sorry), taking accountability (I shouldn’t have…), stating your changed behaviour (next time I will…) and acknowledging their point of view (Is there anything I can do to help?). Your apology doesn’t need to be perfect but if it can involve at least a few of these elements, you will be on the right track.

You want a new friendship, not your old one. If there has been a length of time since you were friends, you need to accept that your friend might be different and you need to give each other permission to change and not hold each other to the past versions of themselves. Ask rather than assume. Your old friendship broke down for a reason, so them being different and having changed is a positive sign but that means you need to recognise you are building a new friendship. Allow yourself to get to know the new them! This is a great way of acknowledging your expectations moving forward and making a plan together of how you are both going to move forward differently so that you can both learn from the past when rebuilding!

Tell your friends you love them more. Reaching out when it’s been a while is scary enough, but to do so after a friendship explosion can feel almost impossible. Soften your initial message by telling them why you value their friendship. Get specific about what exactly you missed about them and let them know if you have been thinking about them while they have been absent in your life. Emphasise the positive aspects of your friendships and even include some of your favourite memories before suggesting to meet up and mend what you used to have because you believe it is worth preserving. Those small touch moments of connection can make such a difference to build a stronger bond and especially if you are going through a rough patch, can go the extra mile to make amends. A few seconds out of your day can make someone feel so loved!

Research of 2,000 Brits was commissioned by Interflora and conducted by Perspectus Global during April 2025.
Free greeting cards strictly available whilst stocks last or until 7th August 2025. To claim, you must be living in the UK or Ireland.