Sometimes some of our favorite people can be hurting us the most, and this isn't always immediately recognizable.

This comes in the form of friends who belittle you in subtle ways, for example, making comments that express their dislike for the things you love, or their love for the things you dislike- even if they have never otherwise spoken about these. People who go out of their way to disagree with you, people who seem to disregard the way their words or actions affect you, and people who are outwardly self-serving all fall into the category of toxicity.

When someone like this has already carved out a spot for themselves in your life, it can be really hard to force yourself to acknowledge the negative effect that they have on you and your quality of life, but sometimes you really do have to just do it and distance yourself. If you feel your energy levels draining when someone comes into the room, or if you feel defeated or deflated after speaking with them, these are clear signs that your energy is not matching theirs. If you come to them in confidence about things and find out later that they have been passing along the information, this should be a huge red flag, as should them putting you down over things that get you excited or make you happy.

Someone who expects you to do everything for them, but who does little or nothing for you, is not someone worth fretting over. Friendships and relationships are two-way streets, and if you are giving something your all without receiving anything, this is a clear sign that the relationship needs to be reconsidered.

If you find yourself consistently worrying about someone who you know is not doing the same over you, it probably isn't worth your energy.