Ghosting: Why It Might Actually Be a Good Thing

We’ve all heard the term ghosting. It’s when someone just disappears—stops texting, stops calling, basically vanishes without a word. No warning, no explanation, nothing. Like a ghost, they’re simply gone.

Most of the time, people talk about ghosting in the context of dating, but let’s be real—it can happen anywhere. Friends do it. Family members do it. Even coworkers sometimes just disappear. And when it happens to you, it usually leaves you spinning with questions: What did I do wrong? Why didn’t they just say something?

But here’s the thing: ghosting isn’t always the terrible thing it’s made out to be. In fact, it can actually work out in your favor. Think about the different places it shows up:

• In romantic relationships, ghosting is the classic story—someone you’ve been seeing suddenly goes silent, whether after a couple of dates or even months into a relationship.
• In friendships, it can be even more painful, especially when a friend you trusted and shared life with suddenly cuts ties.
• At work, ghosting can look like a colleague who stops replying or an employee who simply doesn’t show up again.

Here’s where we flip the script. When someone ghosts you, you’re not the victim—they’re the one with the problem. If a person can’t handle tough conversations, set boundaries, or communicate like an adult, that’s on them, not you. They’re not showing strength; they’re showing avoidance. They haven’t ghosted you—they’ve ghosted themselves right out of your life. And honestly? That’s a win.

I’ll give you a real example. A friend of mine had a toxic relative who struggled with narcissistic personality disorder. This person thrived on causing chaos and pain. Every interaction left my friend drained and hurt. One day, after another destructive episode, this relative simply stopped reaching out. No calls, no texts, no replies—nothing.

At first, it looked like my friend had been ghosted. But in reality, the relative had ghosted themselves. And you know what? It was the best thing that could have happened. My friend suddenly had peace, freedom, and room to breathe—all because someone else removed themselves from the picture.

Furthermore, the relative spared my friend the guilt and cognitive dissonance of having to cut them off.

That’s really the takeaway: when someone ghosts you, it might sting at first. But more often than not, it’s a blessing in disguise. It’s the universe clearing out the people who don’t belong in your space—people who lack the tools or willingness to handle relationships in a healthy way.

So next time someone disappears, try not to see it as rejection. See it as redirection. They didn’t ghost you. They ghosted themselves. They freed you.