Walking away from a bad crowd without making a scene is one of the bravest quiet moves there is.

Leaving loudly gives everyone a story and gives you an enemy. Leaving quietly means you simply become less available: slower to reply, busy on the night, somewhere else at lunch. No speech, no confrontation, nothing for anyone to rally around. It takes more nerve than a dramatic exit, because nobody claps for it.

If a group has stopped being good for you, you can start by subtracting rather than announcing. Pick one thing to be unavailable for this week and find somewhere else to be during it. You do not owe anyone an explanation for where you spend your own evenings.