“Just Say No” To Toxic ONLINE People
The
best way to start bringing positive change into your life is to remove some of
the negative components, thus making room for better things. We don’t know what
we want until we know what we don’t want, so take
charge of your environment.
Here are some types of toxic people you
meet online to let go of so that you can finally focus on what is
important: Your Sanity.
Toxic Type #1: The Mooch
This
is the person that takes and takes and takes, but doesn’t know how to give.
They show up to a party empty handed. They are always asking for something and
never really respond with a “thank you” or return the favor. Inviting them out to dinner means footing the bill. Every
time.
Remedy: Just short of telling them that you moved to
Tijuana, just stop offering to do things and watch them slowly disappear. You
won’t even miss them. Seriously.
Toxic Type #2: The Head Case
This
person unloads all of their personal drama onto you, and they always desperately
need your opinion. What’s much more annoying, however, is that you always are
talking about the same exact topic because they won’t actually take any of your
advice. They don’t really want a change to happen in their life, they just want
someone to listen to them vent all their self-inflicted woes. Don’t be
flattered. If they aren’t talking to you, they are spilling their guts to
someone else.
Remedy: Stop offering advice. The next time they ask for help,
just sigh and say that they never listen anyway, so you’re done giving dating advice. The phone won’t be
ringing as often, but you will be glad about it!
Toxic Type #3: The Flake
I
am learning a thing or two as I am progressing through my twenties. One of
those things is that I am realizing that I have a finite amount of energy. This
energy can only go to people who I know really want me in their lives, and vise
versa. So, when you make plans with your
friend for lunch, and they are 40 minutes late
showing up, or they cancel at the last minute, or they don’t respond to text
messages for days at a time....one has to wonder....what’s the point?
Remedy: Stop making the first move. Let them pick up the
phone and call you. Most likely, they will always mean to, but never will, which
leaves the ball in their court...and you off the hook.
Toxic Type #4: The Dark Cloud
You
know the type. Nothing is ever going well. They always have a cold or are just
about to come down with something. Negativity is their middle name (and
sometimes their first). Their life always sucks, nothing is ever going to get better, and
any positive words of encouragement are met with stony silence. Let’s just say,
being around them is never quite a party.
Remedy: Keep your distance. Take longer to make plans
with them and shorten your phone conversations. Whenever they start heading
into negative town, cut them off and explain that you have to go. Pretty soon
you will find that the negativity will leave your life and you will feel ten
pounds lighter!
Toxic Type #5: The Guilt Trip
Yes,
I know I am being harsh. But sometimes their are certain people in our lives
that we merely keep around because we feel bad about not talking to them. Maybe
you have known this person for a while and feel bad for cutting them out of
your life. Maybe you met through a mutual friend and have nothing in common,
but you know how lonely they are. The only problem is, they annoy the hell out
of you and you can’t wait for them to leave every time you invite them over.
You always promise yourself it will be the last time. But it never is.
Remedy: Don’t guilt yourself into being friends with
someone you don’t click with. I know it’s harsh, but you don’t have time to
hang with people who you don’t like. There are only so many hours in the day,
after all! The next time they want to hang out, you are busy. And you will be
busy for the rest of the year. Sorry, but tough times call for tough measures.
Hopefully, the phone will stop ringing.
Toxic Type #6: The Bully
We
all know the type. You tell them something good that happened to you, and they
give you three reasons why it was bad. They never support you, treat you
poorly, talk about you to other people and make you feel bad about yourself.
This isn’t a friend. This is a frienemy. And you are too old to put up with it
anymore.
Remedy: Stand
up for yourself. Now, whether this means confronting them on their bad behavior
or just simply deleting their name from your phonebook, it is time to move on
with your life. This isn’t high school, anymore (thank goodness) and you do not
have to accept this behavior from a so-called
friend.