Nowadays, we are becoming more and more conscious in our choices: we choose clothes, food, partners, opportunities and so on, but for some reason choosing the right friends is rarely a priority. For some reason, many people focus on having a large number of so-called friends rather than a few close, real ones.
In the matter of friendships, it cannot be stressed enough that quality matters a lot more than quantity. We may have hundreds and hundreds of social media friends, but no one rushes to help us out in difficult situations. As about the quality of friends, it is difficult to make a difference is we don’t know someone well, as harmful and toxic people are not always easily recognizable, simply because they know how to pretend that they are someone else in order to achieve their goals.
It’s worth sorting out relationships and getting rid of those “friends” who may be potentially harmful, especially the following:
1. The careless friend
Being laid back can be a good thing, and it can be a lot of fun to spend time with a relaxed friend. The truth is, however, that such people don’t always care about others. They aren’t willing to invest any effort into their friendships, so if you happen to have problems and need help, they might just shrug and leave.
2. The gossiping friend
Gossip always seems to make its way into conversations, but it is obvious that if your friend gossips about others, they will also gossip about you with others.
3. The freeloader friend
If someone is just looking for your company to gain some benefit from it, stop being friends with them immediately. No matter how much you keep giving, you will never receive anything in return—and such a one-sided relationship can’t be called friendship.
4. The negative friend
No matter what you do to cheer them up, there is nothing that can make them happy. Everyone has their own way of looking at life, and if someone has a negative view, you should save yourself from the trouble to point out the bright side of life to them. The more you try, the more tired you will become, and you will use up your own positive energies to try to mend the other’s wrong perspectives on life.
5. The insecure friend
Remember that you cannot take on you the consequences of the actions of others. For a while, it can be very rewarding to help and get a friend out of trouble, but an insecure, undecided, emotionally immature friend is always quick to leave you in trouble when you are in the greatest need of help.
6. The competitive friend
There are people who see almost everyone simply as adversaries, and can’t stop pushing even when there is no reason for competition. Friends should help and support each other instead of trying to always come out as winners.
7. The disrespectful friend
The concept of friendship is a very versatile one, but in no case should it include disrespect. Even the most vague and informal friendships should be based on mutual respect for each other; therefore, if someone does not show you respect, they can’t be called a friend.