My Companion Always Talks On Her Topics: Should I Cut Her Off?

I have been close companions for over two decades, who has overcome many hardships, which I admire. However, she's often blindsided by people. Her husband left her, which came as a huge shock. Many of her social circle disappeared during that time, since they had been drawn to her husband. She was stunned by her. She put in more effort to be my friend, and must have understood better the essence of true friendship.

Ongoing Issues With Friends Drifting Away

Throughout this period, quite a few in her circle have drifted apart and she isn't knowing the cause. The company she worked for turned on her, although she had been an excellent employee, she departed without knowing what had changed.

How Things Stand Now

Lately, we have each retired leading to more frequent meetups, yet I realize my position in our friendship is as the audience. I open topics of conversation only for her to redirect the talk toward her own topics. Politically, she holds unyielding views. I attempt to propose factchecking and different perspectives.

She's been arranging a vacation to a country I know well repeatedly and lived in for some time. My intention was to provide advice, yet it was unappreciated. She essentially only wanted me to confirm her decisions. I have returned from a month in that place she is eager to meet, however, I hesitate.

Weighing the Options

I hesitate in this role that walks away without explanation, yet I doubt she can comprehend the effect of her behaviour on how I feel about myself. At this point, I am in pulling back. What's the best step?

Possible Paths

One option is to walk away, but it is not often the easy answer that we desire. Yet having a direct talk aiming for resolution requires bravery and openness from both people.

Professional advice indicates using a effective method for resolving disputes:

"Initially involves describing how things go in your conversations. Aim for this to be as factual as possible and basically an unbiased account. Step two is to express how this leaves you feeling. There should be no argument about this. Your feelings belong to you, after all. Step three is to question how you are both will alter the dynamics of your friendship."

Consider she too holds perspectives, so you need to be prepared to hear that. An approach that works is telling to the other person:

"It's your turn to speak while I will remain silent for 30 minutes."

Final Thoughts

Your friend could ignore everything, for those who cling to a deep-seated story: they rely on a story of their life they're unable to release because their very survival relies on it and it's all they trust. It's tough because there's no easy route here, only cul-de-sacs. Yet she could at first react like this then consider about what you've said. And even if you never reach a fix, it will give you peace from having been honest with her.