Throughout your lifetime, you'll come across a plethora of different types of people -- some good, some bad, some who will be in your life for just a short while, and others for an eternity. However, as I've grown older, I've slowly begun to realize the importance of kicking out the people who don't help to grow and better you, in order to make room for those who can.

I can think back to so many times where I've continued friendships with individuals for honestly no good reason at all. I always seemed to have some excuse for them: "They're just hard to get to know," "They're just a little moody," "They didn't mean that," "Sometimes they're hard to deal with, but I promise, they're really loyal." When in reality, they were just toxic individuals.

Relationship toxicity, whether it be romantic or platonic, is probably one of the most unhealthy things you could emotionally do to yourself. Why continue to provide a person with support, loyalty, and genuine love when all they do is provide you with disrespect, cruelty, and dishonesty? Every person has a reason.

However, I have never found any reason to stay friends with a toxic individual to be completely justified. As an individual, you are worth so much more than that. One definition of friend reads as: "n. a person whom one knows, likes, and trusts." Now, if you can't assess every genuine and close friendship you have, and wholeheartedly define each one under that description, then you may need to reevaluate that relationship.

And this doesn't go to say that there is anyone that can be "the perfect friend." We're all human. And, yes, we have all been a bad friend at least once in our lives. But there is a difference between having moments of fault and then apologizing for these actions and becoming a better friend and person because of them, and having moments of fault that are never changed.

I've been in relationships, both platonic and romantic, where individuals repeatedly make vital mistakes and artificially apologize and say they'll improve, yet there's no change. These are the types of people you should genuinely consider cutting ties with.

I have never looked back at a toxic friendship and wished I were still friends with the person. This doesn't mean that I don't have moments of reminiscing. Of course, even with friendships that aren't the healthiest, you do have moments of bliss that bring a smile to your face.

But you need to recognize that those five minutes of bliss really don't compensate for the discourtesy that the remainder of the friendship brings to your life.

Recognize genuine friendships. Hold on to them and cherish them. Release the ones that do you no good. You'll be a lot happier in the long run -- I promise.