If there’s one thing we value in this world other than our family and our partners, it’s our friends. As what the old adage says, no man is an island. At one point in our time, we’re bound to socialize with other people and start making connections with them. Our friends are special in a way that they might not even be related to us by blood, but we’re bound with the ties of friendship, companionship, and confinement. Whenever we have problems or struggles in life, we go to our friends for support and help. They are also there to encourage us when making the right decisions in life and they are there to support us in achieving our dreams and goals in life! In most cases, we spend more time with our friends than with our family because of school or work. It’s really such a bliss to have friends, right?

However, sometimes a friend you thought is a gem in your life may turn into your nightmare. Unfortunately, there are some friendships which are toxic in your life and they want more than nothing to destroy you. And if you aren’t careful, it might lead to your ultimate demise. Before these friendships lead you to your downfall, maybe it’s time for you to declutter them. Spare yourself a headache and heartache this New Year by eliminating the toxic relationships you had from the past.

Start Labelling Your Friendship Circle to Identify the Toxic and Non-toxic Relationships

As you read this, you might wonder if there’s such a thing as labels in friendships when labels are only applicable to your partner, right? Well, news flash! It turns out that our friendships need labels too. Here’s what you need to know about friendship labels:

Red Friendship Flags

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Get Rid of Friends Who Influence You In a Bad Way

These types of friends are a bad influence. Bad connections. They’re like a parasite who sticks with you when you’re in the prime of your life, while slowly draining your resources and energy. They are obviously after something from you and the moment you have nothing left, they won’t hesitate to discard you. Before they can do it, we recommend you to get rid of them the soonest. The truth is you don’t need to put up with this kind of stress when you’re already dealing all kinds of stress from work and your personal life. That’s why, if you see someone who’s a parasite to you, you’re better off with them. Try to seek someone who deserves you, not the one who sees you as something to take advantage of.

Blue Friendship Flags

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Try to Limit Your Interaction with Casual Friends

This one is a little tricky and difficult to decipher. We often classify this type of friend as a “casual friend”. Yes, you’ve made connections with them. You share moments together, you’ve bonded with each other, you share secrets together while eating a meal, but you’re not really making a connection with him or her. You’ll find this friend talking most of the time talking about him or herself, but not about you. It’s like sticking in a one-sided relationship. And when you finally get to share your problems or troubles, you find them replying in a shallow manner. It’s like they’re not really interested in hearing about you and just tell you what you want to hear in order to show that they really care without bothering to exert too much effort out of it. We recommend you to assess this kind of friendship. Try to limit your interaction with them and see if your relationship can change for the better. If not, you might as well end it.

Green Friendship Flags

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Your BFFs Are Your Most Treasured Gem

This one is the best of all because green labeled friendships usually last a lifetime. They are your true friends who stick with you through thick and thin. They are the ones who really see your worth and believe in you. No matter what, they won’t leave your side, even through hard times. They will even support you and help you overcome the problems you’re struggling with. This type of friend wants to see you soar high and achieve your dreams to become the best version of yourself. They have no ill intentions and they really just want to see you be happy. If you have a friend like that, then we recommend you not to let go of them. They’re a keeper and a gem which should be treasured at all costs.