It’s Normal to Outgrow People
We all try to grasp on to friendships and relationships with people that have run their course in our lives. Why?
As you become more aware of the people in your life, you start to discover that you no longer have the same values or you’ve just simply lost interest in the old routine together. We try to include these people in our journey through life, but sometimes when relationships have run their course, you have that epiphany that it just wasn’t meant to last; some relationships just become a chapter in your past to look back on. And that’s okay.
As we age, we either grow and change or remain stagnant; that’s just the course of life. Speaking from my own personal experience, I have outgrown many people in my life as I realized they either served no purpose in my self-growth, or they have second intentions to our friendship. Let me break it down for you.
It took me a while to realize that people around me halted their growth as a person; the people I partied with many years ago are still partying while I’m at home with my dog, watching Netflix with a glass of red in my hand. There are also those friends that have grown into a completely different person that you no longer share anything in common with them. No matter how long you’ve known each other or how many memories you’ve made together, it doesn’t change the fact that things have changed.
I’ve had people that consistently brought negativity into my life, people who freeload off me, people who pretend to ask how I am (even though it’s clear, they don’t care) so I can reciprocate the question for them to ramble on about themselves. There comes a moment of realization when I thought, “what purpose do these people serve in my life? Do they still make me happy? Would they stick around when things get rough or are they just a friend to do fun things with?” When it comes to friendships, it’s all about quality over quantity.
Some people are comfortable with staying stagnant and being uncomfortable with change in their lives and that’s perfectly fine but as they remain the same, the people around them may be evolving. You can’t continue to force friendships with people who don’t have the same values as you anymore or people who affect your life in negative ways. Toxic people are toxic no matter if they’re related to you by blood, they need to be removed from the present and future.
You’re human; we are meant to grow and learn new things. Let yourself be happy and don’t let others drag you down. Some people were meant to be placed in your past and some were meant to stay with you throughout your whole journey. Submerge yourself into your surroundings and take that evaluation period to reflect on who and what makes you happy; this is a moment in time where you need to be selfish. Stop feeling guilty for removing toxic people in your life; it’s a beneficial choice.
