how to end a friendship when you don't want to

Why, aren’t you good enough?

That's tough. Are you sure you're not beating yourself in the self-esteem department? First and foremost, talk to this friend. Let him/her know what you're thinking. If you still think this, your friend will understand and you can both go your separate ways. Who knows? You just might find out that your doubts about the friendship are onesided and your friend might be able to find a way to make you feel better about your difficult feelings towards this companionship.

If your friend has "outgrown" you, wouldn't that be their decision?

If you want the friendship you should keep it. If the friendship makes you happy you should keep it. If the friendship makes your life better you should keep it.

Let your friend decide for themselves whether your friendship makes them happy.

I really want to keep the friendship, but I know they would do better if I wasn't in their life anymore. I'm holding them back but they are too nice to say anything to afraid of hurting people

its more that they have a different path to take than me and holding on to them will just stop them from getting to the best they can be.

I'll try, but I think I'm more afraid to hear them say it then to just to do it myself.

People taking different paths can still be friends.

Let the friendship evolve naturally.

“Me holding on to them will stop them from being the best they can be”

How do you know that?

Is this your low self esteem talking, or a huge ego that thinks others revolve around them, or a rescue martyr?

Try to involve the other person in this discussion.

You can always say, “ look, we are on different paths, let’s separate (as lovers? Business partners? Co- owners? Parents? You don’t say) and see what happens.”

Best case scenario is that it’s a mutual agreement.