Sometimes you don't even realize you're in a negative relationship, whether it be romantic, family, or a friend, until it's too late.

Sometimes you're so used to living the way you're living and you're so used to always trying to make it right that you almost lose yourself along the way because you're continuing to foster negative relationships.

As someone who continued to foster negativity and toxic relationships, both a romantic relationship and friendships, years ago, I can tell you that when you stop giving in to the people who do nothing but bring you down, you ultimately can build yourself back up. You don't realize how these relationships are slowly chipping away at the person you are and changing the person you are until you're out of them and looking back.

When you're unsure as to whether you need to get out of a relationship and whether it's toxic, you need to ask yourself a few questions, which can be different for each person. First and foremost, are you happy in all relationships of your life? And if you find yourself creating excuses and saying things like "I am but I wish..." or "No, but..." and if these people are in the latter part of either of these sentences in ANY way, then you need to consider changing these relationships.

You don't need to completely cut these people out of your life, but you need to love and appreciate yourself enough to stand up for yourself. You need to be able to tell them no or tell them how you feel. If they turn the tables on you and make you feel worse about yourself or what you tell them, then it's a relationship that you need to get out of. If you tell them how you feel and they're open to either adapting their behavior or helping you get to a better place and being supportive, then you know it's a relationship worth working on.

Regardless of how you get to this point in your life - mine included a few breakdowns before deciding to lose all of my friends and having to start fresh - you eventually realize how you were always trying to build up people who only brought you down. You realize how you're unhappy and the friendships or relationships in your life are the reason why. And if they're not willing to help or support you, then you need to get out.

Fostering toxic relationships will only end up hurting you and them in the long run. It's so incredibly hard to recognize them but it'll change your life when you do realize it and even more, when you find the bravery to do something about it. Always remember your worth and don't let a toxic relationship ever make you question it.