My Bubble: Never Knew There Are Such Friends ...

Personally, I treasure every friendship in my life with all my heart. Of late, I have even come to realize that I am quite a protective friend too. Good and bad ... depending on the type of friends you have and I actually never knew that there is such a type called 'toxic friends'.

Friendship is not something to take lightly or for granted. Here's an extract of a short article I was reading yesterday night in a very old copy of the Reader's Digest which I hope can help anyone faced with such friends and dilemma. This is certainly thought-provoking as I never knew I had such friends in my life too.

"Choose Your Friends Wisely

You may not get to pick your family but at least you still can pick your friends. Take advantage of this by picking healthy friends who don't suck the life out of you. Friends come and go; people change for better or worse. You are not obligated to keep around toxic friends just because you have a history with them.

Life is too short to surround yourself with people that don't add to your life in a positive way. Drifting away slowly from a toxic friend is often the least painful way to end these types of friendships.

Be prepared for an angry reaction. Most toxic people are incredibly self-centered and some of them will be upset when they realize that you've decided to stop being their patsy. Don't sink to their level and argue with them, just allow them to make themselves look like the fools that they are. They will probably cut off contact to spite you (which is what you wanted anyway), and perhaps they'll also try to convince others to take their side (which is good since they'll help you weed out other toxic friends as well).

By eliminating toxic friends that hold you back, you give yourself space for real friends who elevate you. I know it's hard saying goodbye to someone you've been friends with for some time, but it's a necessary sacrifice in becoming the person you want to be. Remember, life is about growing into the best you that you can become and sharing your failures and success with friends who genuinely appreciative being part of it.

Good luck!"
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