Why has my friendship group suddenly rejected me?

DEAR DEIDRE: Rejection hurts. I feel so down after my walking group decided to leave me out of our weekend walk.

I’ve been running the club for a few years now and every week I look forward to socialising and getting out of the house.

I’m a 53-year-old single woman with no children.

Every week I usually organise a walk for the group, which consists of about ten people, but a fortnight ago I was forced to cancel as I was feeling under the weather.

At the time everybody didn’t seem to mind, and I even suggested that they go without me.

Yet ever since I’ve felt completely isolated by them. Last weekend when I sent a message into our group chat about our next walk, everyone seemed keen but eventually dropped out one by one at the last minute.

At the time I didn’t think anything of it, but then the next day photos of them all out together popped up on Facebook.
Now I’m convinced I’ve been shut out, and I can’t understand why.

DEIDRE SAYS: Being left out can feel horrible, especially when you’re putting in so much effort to organise these walks.

Unfortunately, you cannot change how other people behave or make them join your walks but you can tell them how you feel.

If they are really your friends they will understand why you are upset and try to mend what has happened.

If not, perhaps it would be better to focus your energy elsewhere and find a new group.

My support pack Widening Your Social Scene will help.