Inner Practice: Four Kinds of Toxic People to Avoid
We cannot deny that there are good and bad in this world. There are also people who can be so toxic that they will drain you of energy, time and resources if you keep allowing them to. It is therefore important to recognize who they are and set boundaries in your interactions with them.
1. Takers
Takers come to you out of greediness and only to take something. They will give a little to you but they will expect many things from you.
Taking can comes in terms of money, time, resources, attention. And if you are not aware, you will be drained of energy from their taking, leaving yourself depleted unknowingly.
2. Talkers
Talkers are friends from the mouth and not with actions. They come to you and they can praise you. They may even tell you they will help you in the future. But when the future comes, they will never help you. And if you ask help from them, they will find many excuses to avoid offering their help.
3. Flatterers
Flatterers encourage you in both bad and good behaviours. If you ask the flatterers to join you in donating food, they will agree to go along with you. However if you ask the flatterers to do bad things together such as getting drunk, they will also agree to join you.
Flatterers encourage both your bad and good behaviours, without thinking for your own good, wellbeing or mental condition. They do not consider the consequences of you doing evil deeds. They agree to join you in whatever you want and like, be it good or bad, so as to maintain the friendship between you which they may be able to get something out from it.
4. Evil helpers
Evil helpers are different from flatterers. Flatterers only encourage you to do good and bad things. Evil helpers drag you to do evil things with them. For example if they are going to steal, they will ask you to become their accomplice. They will get you involve in their evil dealings.
How Do We Avoid These Toxic People?
We do not use anger or hostility to reject them. However we can just reduce the contact time with them and do not allow these people into your inner thinking and personal life. Be aware that not everyone that smiles at you, praise you or talk sweet words to you is a good friend.
Sometimes, good friends may give you some advice that you may not like. Example if you are going to do some bad things, the good friend will discourage you. Sometimes he may even use words that are not nice to hear to keep you away from doing bad things. It is important that we listen to those words. If the person is advising you to do good things, listen to those words. Because these people are the ones that truly care about your life, your mental condition, your peacefulness. So stick around with those people. And you will find that your life will be much more peaceful and happier.
