I'm writing this article because I see all too often people stuck in unhealthy relationships.
Many people are too blinded by a sense of safety or loyalty in keeping around a highly negative friend.
Let me tell you...
If you are friends with people who you feel like are dragging you down, put you down, try to dominate you, make you feel bad in any way, or are discouraging, then you are doing nothing but hurting yourself.
As you read this, think of your friends, and consider what you are about to read.
Depending on your social circle, the effect of having a negative people in your life can range from simply feeling bad around the person, to driving you into a full blown depression.
The people around you not only affect you directly (as in, by putting you down, or discouraging you and making you feel bad in the moment), but also affect your values and outlook on life without you even being aware of it.
It doesn't stop there.
As they affect you, you affect others.
People are connected as if through a web.
So, as you sit here and read this article, look at your social life with a critical lens.
A study published in the British Medical Journal shows that when your friends are positive (i.
e.
happy people), they will not only positively affect YOU, but also your friends that don't know your happy friends.
Guess what? It doesn't stop there.
Your friends will then will make somebody else happy.
It's a snowball effect to the 3rd degree.
This study found that sad people don't have as strong of an effect.
Why? Because normally, people will avoid other sad or negative people.
Even though most people act correctly by avoiding negative people, there is still a considerable number of individuals who DO NOT do this.
I see this almost every day.
If you're reading this article, perhaps you're not acting like the average individual...
You are perhaps too loyal to your negative friends, which is hurting you.
Let me explain what is the most damaging effect of keeping negative friends around.
As I mentioned before, keeping negative people in your life will not only affect you in the moment, but also in the future.
It will affect your values.
This is the most dangerous effect out of the two.
Why? Because you will begin sharing a negative outlook on life with your friend...
therefore, possibly driving you into a dangerous depression.
So, keep your wellbeing in mind, my friends.
I'm not saying you should abandon your friends in need, but do become more aware of people's general outlook on life and how they treat you.
If their negativity is not situational (as in, something bad just happened), then it's likely their outlook on life and they should get dumped.
Now, on the other hand, if your friend just had something bad happen to him or her, then it's your duty as a friend to pull them up with your happiness.
Nurture a happy environment.
Take care of each other, and most importantly, take care of yourself.
You cannot help anyone if you yourself are not happy.