“A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.” – Walter Winchell

Do you believe in negative energy?  What if you don’t have negative energy, but you surround yourself with others that have negative energy?  What do you think will come into your life?

Ridding yourself of negative energy that surrounds you will open your vibration up to new and more positive experiences.

There may be people in your life that you love, but they no longer serve a purpose in any positive way.  They may be friends and they may be family members.  If they are exerting any type of negativity into your life I suggest you either cut them out or minimize all contact.  These are some of the types you should avoid:

The Addict

Most of us drink. Some drink more than others. Do you have that friend that drinks a little too much a little too often?  Do they call you to bail them out at 2 a.m.?

Getting drunk and having fun is great when you are in your twenties, but at a certain point we all grow up and move on from it.  If you have a friend who hasn’t maybe you should think twice about allowing them into your life.

The addict may not be an alcoholic, but their way of coping is not healthy and they are not going to be a positive influence on your life. I’m not saying to run away from a friend who has a problem and may need help.  Naturally, try to help if you can. But, you can only do so much and you cannot help those who do not want to help themselves.

Eventually, we all make choices about who we want in our lives and what purpose they serve.

The Drama Queen

Webster’s Dictionary defines drama as a “state, situation, or series of events involving interesting or intense conflict of forces.”

Conflict is natural because we are human beings and we have differing views on life.  Constant conflict is not healthy.

Drama queens tend to be self-absorbed and constantly talk about their life and their needs. They do not abide by your boundaries and cannot help themselves when it comes to creating conflict.

Creating conflict is how they feel alive and how they connect with others.  They likely grew up in chaotic households and have not learned new coping skills.

Being dramatic doesn’t make them a bad person, but it can make them a bad friend.  If you are choosing positivity and calm then think twice before keeping this type of friend in your life.

The Complainer

Do you have a friend that complains about everything, but never DOES anything? They complain about their job, their love life, their weight, their financial situation.

Everyone has the right to be upset and complain about stuff. But, we pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and move on.  Constant complaining drains your energy and steals precious time from your life.

People who lack insight into their behavior are unlikely to change.  They honestly believe that they are the victim and that life just happens to them. They do not believe they have control over their fate so they complain.

If they want to complain, let them. Unless they want to pay you $150 an hour, which is what a therapist would charge I suggest cutting them out of your life.

The Taker

This type of friend is not really a friend.  They take, but they don’t give.  They expect you to listen to them or be there for them when you need them, but are not there for you in any real way.

They text you when they want to go out, but are miraculously unavailable every time you want to go out.  They call you when they need help moving, but can’t lift a finger when it’s your turn.

They expect you to listen to their problems, but cut you off when you start to speak about your own.  They cannot show up in any meaningful way and leave you feeling empty after every exchange.

We have friends for a reason.  Friends bring fun and joy to our lives. They can show us things we don’t always want to face.  They support us and care for us.

Friends are there when the chips are down and accept us for who we are. If you have friends who do not do these things, then they are not really friends. What you might have are acquaintances and if so, treat them as such.  Do not let them into your life or have expectations of them or you will be disappointed.