There are many of us that cling to friendships because we believe that a true friendship is forever.? From the time we’re little we tell our friends and ourselves that we’ll be “friends forever.”? Really though, we are setting ourselves up for disappointment and possibly heartache.? Let’s face it, forever is hard to come by.? What’s even harder to come by is the type of friendship that you actually WANT to hold on to forever.

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I used to throw the word friend around without much thought.? There were several people I would describe as friend, but honestly they weren?t much of one to me.? It made me start to evaluate these ?friends? that I had.? When it came down to it I really had a lot of friendly acquaintances, but very few friends. I even had some that were not so friendly and it made me wonder why in the world I even associated with them.

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Recognizing who were merely acquaintances has been a truly positive experience for me.? I let go of the importance that I had put on?these?people and took the label of friend off of them.? This made it much easier to see them as what they really are which is just people that I know.? Just because I no longer view them as a friend doesn?t mean that I now view them as an enemy.? I?m still friendly, but I don?t go out of my way for them. ?If they call me or I run into them I am polite, but I tend to keep it brief.?

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Even more positive was realizing the people that were a poison in my life and getting rid of them.? The few toxic friends I had, well?I just dropped them completely.? Sound harsh??? Not really when it boils down to my well being and happiness.? Negative relationships can literally be bad for your health affecting your blood pressure and contributing to other conditions.? They aren’t worth that to me.?

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Friendships are not cast in stone.? They change?like the?people involved in them change.??What has to be decided?is whether or not the change is for the best.? I think sometimes we forget that being friends with someone is a voluntary situation.??It took time for me to really get it through my head that I am not required to keep someone in my life that doesn’t deserve to be there.??

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