This article has been syndicated from Cocktails and Ambition, an InfluenceHer Collective Member. Read the full post here.
The people you choose to have in your life are so important. They can elevate you, encourage you, push you to reach your full potential and live your best lives. However, being with the wrong people can have the opposite effect. We all have the choice in who we let into our lives and it’s always important to take time to reflect on people we surround ourselves with. Here are some signs that you need new friends.
Your friendship is one-sided.
Relationships should not be one-sided but mutually supportive. If you find that you are in a friendship where you are always the one reaching out, the only one planning events, the only one who actively listens, and the only one who ’s emotionally supportive, then it’s time to move on and find new friends. Friendship shouldn’t be emotionally draining and exploitative. You should be able to depend on your friends for mutual emotional support and encouragement. If they are always taking and never giving in return then those are not the people you should have in your life.
Your friendship is toxic.
“When people show you who they are, believe them.” This is my favorite quote from Maya Angelou and one that I continue to live by. When people show you that they are toxic and don’t have your best interest at heart, then it’s time for you to reconsider if you want them to be in your life. Also, beware of trauma bonding, i.e loyalty to someone who is destructive. It can be friends who constantly put you in dangerous and uncomfortable situations and make terrible life choices, yet you feel guilty and stuck because you think you have to be there for them. You can’t make people change if they don’t want to, and if you’ve tried talking to them and having a conversation only to see no changes, then it’s time for you to leave.
You’ve grown apart.
Growing apart from your friends is just a part of life. There are some friends you don’t see a lot, but when you get together it’s like no time has passed at all. Then there are some friends that you used to talk to all the time, however as time has passed you realize that you have nothing in common and nothing of substance to talk about. Once you get to this point, you can always take time to find common ground, and maybe start a new hobby together. However, sometimes it’s just best to let them go and accept that they were a part of your life and that chapter is now over.
Read the full post here.