With less than 90 days left in 2016, everyone I know has been talking about how they will triple their productivity these last few months. Around this time of the year, you see lots of shade-throwing memes, like this one.
Meme
In my opinion, the only way to move forward with becoming a better you is to do an assessment of your relationships, both romantic and non-romantic. Motivational speaker John Rohn said we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with. I don’t know about you, but I refuse to waste any of my goal-slaying time with people who do everything but inspire me to be the best version of myself.
The guy with the jacked up toupee got it all wrong. It’s time to deport the MESSicans, not Mexicans. Matter of fact, he can be included in that demographic. Here are 15 jokers you should no longer deal with:
1 Askholes– These are the people who ALWAYS seem to find themselves at the pivotal crossroads of life, like every two weeks to a month (insert crying laughing emoji). They usually call or text you when you’re in the middle of something really important, like making sure your own life is in tact. As soon as you say “hello” they go into a spiel about some drastic situation that requires an immediate decision right now while they have your attention. You know they called you because they need a makeshift life coach to provide the best solution to their “problem.” So that’s exactly what you do. You make like Anita Baker and give them the best that you’ve got. And what do they do? THE TOTAL OPPOSITE. This foolery is never a one-time thing. They disrupt your dates, Pandora time, and even your Sunday morning glam session before church service. What an askhole!
2. Competitive Co-workers– This type of person is somewhat a gift and a curse because even though he or she annoys every inch of your being, they keep you on your toes. You learn not to be so trusting of everyone who gives you the wink and the gun and it nudges you to step your game up. Nevertheless, this person is not worth stressing over. Nine times out of ten, he or she is struggling to hold a position and sees you as a threat. Competent employees are too focused to be that bothered.
3. Full-time Gossipers– Okay, the disclaimer is as women we tend to sample tea every now and then. It’s like a universal unwritten law. However, there is a problem when tea is all a person can contribute to conversations. Some gossipers are so advanced in their hobby that they give you play-by-play drama of people you don’t know from a can of paint! You could simply watch a talk show if you wanted to hear mess about folk you never met. Let them waste someone else’s time with the Jerry Springer tales.
4. Debbie Downers– If you are sharing legitimate ideas with someone who constantly finds a way to dismiss the potential in them, it’s time to rethink the relationship. At some point you have to wonder if they even believe in you. Most likely they do and are jealous because they can never execute a goal. Be advised that significant others come in the form of Debbie Downers as well.
5. People Who Devalue Your Business– Asking for free and even discount services is an insult to entrepreneurs. If people keep trying to finesse freebies out of you, nip it in the bud ASAP. If they can buy floor seat Beyonce’ tickets they can certainly afford to purchase your boutique’s items at full price. They just need to budget like they did to get in formation. Period.
6. Lying Wonders– These people are dangerous because they volunteer made-up stuff you didn’t even ask them about. Run like hell! There’s no reason to include those types of fairy tales in your life.
7. Imaginary Online Haters– These are the people on your social media accounts who have not said two tweets to you, but in your mind everything they post is somehow about you, your pastor, your finances, the gumbo you brought to the family reunion, the car you just purchased, etc… Do yourself a favor and get a grip! You honestly can’t pinpoint if the person is bashing you, so disconnect from the mess by not stalking his or her page.
8. Toxic Ex Lovers– If you can actually have a platonic relationship with an ex that doesn’t blur the lines or leave you feeling drained, do your thing. But if you are interacting with someone who finds a way to ruin your happiness even after you’ve let them go, you are doing a huge disservice to yourself.
9. People Who Refuse To Accept Financial Responsibility– If you had to sit in someone’s institution of higher learning to make a desired salary, so can the next person. If you had to save your income tax return to take that trip to Jamaica, so could the next person. It is not your job to play ATM to able-bodied adults. Now if your mom needs to borrow $20 bucks until the end of the week, you can slide her a Jackson (hopefully a soon-to-be Tubman). But shelling out cash to mooching friends and family is not recommended.
10. Repeat Offenders– These people have given you every reason to cut them off and you’ve convinced yourself that they are “not that bad”, or they’re “trying really hard to change”… Girl, bye! People only do what you allow. As Dr. Maya Angelou would say “when someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.”
Are you guilty of giving people the benefit of a doubt just a little too much? How did you finally cut the cord?
