As life passes by and I get older, I’ve realized that my desire to give my time to people has reduced to zero. Don’t get me wrong, I love hanging out with my real friends. But those people can be counted on one hand because they’re few.
I am talking about those friendships in life that you know aren’t real, but still, you keep them around only because you are too afraid to end them and admit to yourself that you don’t have that many friends. I know, it sounds petty and phony. But we’ve all been there.
My point is, as I get older, I have less and less tolerance for those people in my life. I no longer care whether I have three or only one friend as long as my friendships are genuine. I think I’ve finally reached that point in my life where the only thing that really matters to me is my mental and emotional wellbeing…
If this is something that you feel like you can relate to, here’s my advice. Pay close attention to the people in your life and evaluate the quality of your friendships.
These are 5 signs that it’s finally time to break up with your toxic friends:
1. Their presence exhausts you. Make no mistake, energy vampires are real and they are everywhere around us. It’s not really hard to disclose them. All you have to do is pay attention to your mood before and after spending time with some people. If catching up with someone makes you feel exhausted and drained for days, this person is not someone you need in your life.
2. They don’t accept the real you. True genuine friends don’t try to change you. These people have seen every darkest part of your soul and they’ve accepted the real you. Because that’s something a real friend would do for you. It’s not that complicated. If someone cannot accept you for who you are and love you unconditionally, they are not your friend.
3. You don’t feel comfortable being around them. This is the biggest red flag that you must never avoid. It is the most obvious sign that someone is not right for you. It is your body, mind, and soul telling you that you need to stay away from them. Whatever it is about them that makes you feel that way, don’t avoid that feeling. Listen to your gut and walk away. You don’t need toxic people in your life.
4. The relationship is one-sided. It takes two mature, devoted and loving human beings to make a relationship work. It all depends on them. If you feel like you’re doing all the work, stop and reevaluate your relationship. You shouldn’t have to feel this way. You shouldn’t have to go through this.
5. They bring out the worst in you. It’s true, we all change. And that is one of the most beautiful things in life. It is a part of the growth process. But when a person’s presence in your life impacts you so much that they start to bring out the worst in you, this is a sign that you are in the company of toxic friends.
“Friends” who don’t care about you as much as you think they do. “Friends” who put you down and make you feel less. “Friends” who don’t deserve your love. Do yourself a favor and stay away from these people.
