You will meet tons of different people throughout your life — some good, and others not so much. You don’t notice how toxic and how selfish they were but when you look back, you realize how much they really didn’t care about you. They try to hide their own insecurities by bringing out yours. They'll find your flaws and exploit them, but you have the power to put an end to it.

How do you know who is toxic to you? Before becoming controlling and getting you into trouble all the time, these people may have been your friends. But slowly they will start making you feel badly about yourself, which only makes them feel better about themselves. They thrive on making you feel small and isolated. People may tell you that you deserve better but you don’t want to do anything about it because you’re afraid of the consequences of leaving them behind. You realize that by leaving them, you’ll be left alone because they made sure you had no one else. All your other friends slowly got distant but you never stopped to question why. These negative influences want you to feel like you need them — that way they can continue to controlling you.

When you finally realize that you’ve had enough, it’s going to feel strange at first, losing someone who once meant so much to you. Just by not talking to them anymore you’ve already taken away their power over you. They will notice your change in behavior, then they will tell you anything to get you to talk to them again. They will try to tell you that they changed, but they didn’t and they never will. By cutting these people out of your life you’re not giving up. Do not feel like it is your fault for what happens to them. You owe it to yourself, to surround yourself with positive influences. What do you have to gain by continuing to let these people in your life? Nothing. But what could you gain by letting them go? Everything.

I was best friends with some people for years until I noticed how bad they were for me. After years of being used for rides when they didn’t have a car or being judged for things I had, I finally put an end to it. It was the hardest thing to do at first but now I’ve never been happier. The people I’ve met since leaving them behind that showed me what real friends are like. I never knew what I was missing until I moved on.

Because of the negative people I’ve had in my life, I wouldn’t have found out how strong I am alone for a while. It helped me appreciate all the good in my life. So before you forgive someone toxic in your life, remember that you deserve better and you will find it.