Sadly, all friends are not created equal. While most friends are tried and true and will have your back and uplift and support you in making healthy decisions for yourself, it is possible to have friends who enable bad behavior on your part or even encourage it to match the bad behavior they themselves engage in. It’s also possible to have jealous friends who try to hold you back so that your shine doesn’t cast a spotlight on their shortcomings. Other friends can be time or energy vampires, always asking things from you but never seeming to have the time to help you in return.

If any of these are ringing true, it’s crucial to take stock of your values and goals and see if these friends are truly going to help you on the path to achieving your dreams. Bad friends will not only drain your time and energy but depending on their personalities, they may even attempt to sabotage you or hold you back from making the best decisions so that you stay on their level instead of progressing. While it’s always hard to let go of old friends, if you find a friend consistently standing in the way of your dreams, it may be time to put an end to that relationship.