Letting go of people that don't belong in your life.

Have you ever been friends with someone who oozes negativity. The moment you are around them you start feeling great anxiety coming over you. Their body language, facial expressions and their conversation topics just make you want to run for the hills!

These individuals are always talking about how bad life is on their end, how nothing good comes their way, always nagging about other people and blaming others for their misfortunes. I'm sure we all resemble some of this in a small way but these people breathe negativity.

I'm sure we all know someone who resembles this person. The reason I bring this up is I used to be close friends with someone like that and know a few people now.  I've noticed when I was around this type of person, my mind slowly started to view everything from their pessimistic perspective.

When I was younger and was trying to navigate through many difficult circumstances I would always go to church. I conversed with people who just always looked on the bright side of things. Over the years I've developed a habit to seek good and positive in every difficult situation. But as a teen I met someone who became a close friend. Most of our friendship was long distance because I moved to New York soon after we met. I always thought she was right and thought her as my superior. In my mind she had a "perfect life." She had a wholesome family, she was smart, and witty. Our lives were  completely differnt. I was married with a baby on the way but she would always date around. I settled into my life as wife and mother and my priorities changed.

When I moved back to Florida and started spending time with her it was clear to me that I was so wrong about who I thought she was and who I was. She didn't have a great family, she didn't have a perfect life, in fact she was an emotional train wreck. She was always jealous of others and very manipulative. People would always make excuses to avoid her. I saw her true colors, her negative, selfish demeanor and how she was affecting me in my personal life. For some reason I would always go out of my way to help her but when I needed help with my daughter or issues with my hubby she was no where to be found.

I started to realize that I am not that insecure little girl from my past anymore and refused to tolerate this. My hubby started questioning why I was friends with someone like her. Why did I give her my attention when she didn't care about me? Why would I help her when in return she would hurt me? The more I stood up to her and her negative behavior the more controlling she would TRY to be. It basically got to a point where she would insult me and talk behind my back just to make herself feel better. My friendship with her unraveled and though this process I found amazing friends who saw me for me despite what she told them and gave me support as I grew into my own and learned to stand up for myself. After all I am striving for a beautiful, happy life. The most important lesson is I am setting an example for my kid(s). I don't ever want them to think something is OK even though its NOT.

I am still acquainted with people of this nature, but I make no effort to converse with them unless I have to. Life is to short to have negative people who naturally bring you down and if you know of people like that stop making excuses as to why that relationship matters, stand up for yourself you have nothing to lose but the negativity.