“Respect yourself enough to walk away from anything that no longer serves you, grows you, or makes you happy.” – Robert Tew

You can only be dismissed so many times before you question the validity of your own opinion. You can only tell a joke and be met with silence so many times before you are too embarrassed to say anything at all. These feelings and hesitations are not a result of your level of intelligence or social skills, but how comfortable you are with the people you choose to surround yourself with.

We are all terrified of being alone, but nothing is more paralyzing than a person who encourages or cultivates the darkest corners of our minds. There are times when we convince ourselves that the insecurities we feel are a result of our own deficits, but sometimes it can be the words of those closest to us that our plaguing our thoughts without us even realizing.

Nobody should ever accept less than they deserve. Everyone must come to the realization that there is a difference between playful teasing and words that genuinely harm one's sense of self. Every single relationship you engage in should encourage your individual characteristics, not make you feel like you have none at all.

It is sometimes hard to identify toxic people in your life. They may have a lot of other friends, or be generally popular in large crowds. It can be hard, but try to remember that while they may be good for others, they are not necessarily having a positive impact on you.

Everyone has so many unique qualities that make them stand out among others. Never let anyone take that distinction away from you and re-label you as something you are not. Do not grant anybody the power to make you feel like you are worthless, or surround yourself with those who tear you down in order to build themselves up.

People become toxic in your life when they make you believe you are less than you are. When you begin to second-guess all the individual characteristics that you were once confident in, you need to respect yourself enough to walk away.

I understand better than most that becoming comfortable with others is not always a simple or easy task. For the majority of us, once we find ourselves in relationships that make us feel at ease, we hold onto them because we don’t know how to let go.

We are only as good as the people we surround ourselves with, and sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is nothing at all. Removing yourself from people who belittle you is the first step to leading a positive life.

Nobody else’s happiness is worth the price of your own.