Sometimes we get people wrong and care about people when they don’t really care as equally about us. There are occasions when we see things that aren’t really there in people or we hope for more than others can give. Life is a series of chances and occurrences; of mistakes, trial, and error.
Each time we have an experience, or misjudge something within certain experiences, we learn from what happened. And sometimes it can be really hard to see what is happening, while it happens. We can try to look out for the red flags, however, obscured as they often are, or try to read behavioural patterns, and discover the signs of certain individuals that may not be as nice as they seem. Avoid these people if you witness any of the following!
They seem to be caring initially but …
Soon their personal interests are revealed and it becomes very obvious that they want you to fulfil them. These people are not your friends. They are people concerned with their own agendas, and not you as an individual. They show interest in you to gain your trust, and then pursue their own needs, wanting something from you specifically.
Be wary of these individuals – but trust your gut. You should never let the fact that SOME people are uncaring and mean, that you aren’t open to new friends. And, you may trust the wrong people from time to time. This is a poor reflection on them, though, not you. And just get out of there as quick as you can when it becomes obvious that they are not genuinely interested in you.
They are seemingly fragile but …
They want your empathy and compassion all the time and are actually quite manipulative about getting it. Before you know it, they have you sacrificing your needs in order to assist theirs. These types of people are draining. And while they can offer elements of friendship, they aren’t usually genuine. Often some warning signs are that they will not take your advice. At first, they will seem appreciative when you offer sage wisdom about being stronger or ways to move toward happiness, but you will notice that they keep repeating the same negative patterns. And they want you to repeat it with them.
They keep telling you what is good for you even though …
You’ve already told them many times over what you know to be good for yourself. You have asserted control, but it becomes more of a battlefield because they are not really listening to what you need, or want. They like to have control, and it makes them feel better to believe they are in control of everything. This is dangerous. They may say they are listening but they aren’t really hearing you, and it’s a fast track to a bad interaction. Nobody knows what you need but you. Friends are there to support you and discuss your choices with you – not tell you what to choose for your own life.
They appear to be interested in you but …
They are only around sometimes and only when they contact you. In reverse, they can never be found. In other words, they have control of when they see you and hear from you, but you have no control over when you see them. When you think about these kinds of friendships rationally, you know this is not how a person that cares about you will act. It doesn’t feel nice to be in this situation. And real friends will always make you feel better, not worse. It really is as simple as that. So ditch the haters and refill that space with friends that make you smile. They can be hard to come by. But when you do, hold on tight. They are friends for life.
Featured photo credit: Pablo via pablo.buffer.com
