So unfortunately, not everyone in your life is going to fill you with positivity all the time, that is just not how the world works. However, how you choose to handle the negative energy can make a huge difference in your life! In today's blog we will talk about the signs of negative people in our lives and when in some cases it may be time to re-prioritize some of those relationships.

I have always tried to see the best in people and focus on the good rather than the bad and for the most part I keep a healthy balance of positivity in my relationships. However there are people in my life that I have had to adjust the amount of time that I continue to spend with them, I do not mean this in a harsh way, nor do I take it lightly when it has happened (which thankfully hasn't been very often), rather taking the time to see how each relationship serves me and in turn serves the other person, as all relationships should strike a good balance for both people.

In the past If I started to notice a pattern of negative behavior, I would always try to fix the problem but only to see the pattern repeat itself again and again. I would drive myself crazy trying to figure out what was wrong and why I always felt deflated or irritated after seeing/talking to these certain people. Unfortunately, there are people in our lives that are just going to try to bring us down, make you feel like you can never do right by them, or are only happy when everything revolves around their wants and needs and that is just not how a healthy relationship can or will work.

Recognizing this early on can save you a lot of time and anguish, however it's not always that simple... What if it's an old friend or an extended family member, sometimes we simply have to figure things out for ourselves at our own pace and that can take time. Take a look at the following 20 signs of a negative relationship, if you start to recognize some of these traits in someone it might be time to reevaluate things and try to handle or hopefully improve those relationships in your life that feel a bit one sided.

However, if you have tried multiple times to work with someone without any results or with temporary results, just to see the same patterns re-emerge it may be best to start to limit the amount of time spent with that person(s) and unfortunately there may be a time to move away from the relationship all together. Here are some signs to look out for.

20 Signs of a negative relationship

1. Give & take. Any relationship in which you experience withdrawals of energy without deposits will leave you in the negative.

2. Feeling drained. If, instead of feeling happy and productive, you're always mentally, emotionally, and even physically drained, it's time to re-evaluate.

3. Imbalanced. A one-sided relationship can never run smoothly.

4. Judgmental. In judgmental relationships, criticism is not intended to be helpful but rather to belittle.

5. Negative energy. It's almost impossible for anything positive to come out of a relationship filled with negativity.

6. Lack of communication. Without communication, there is no relationship. Period.

7. Disrespect. Mutual respect is the first requirement of a good relationship.

8. Mutual avoidance. If you spend your time avoiding each other, that tells you all you need to know.

9. Insufficient support. If you cannot turn to each other when you need to, is there a reason to be in the relationship?

10. Control issues. If one person is in control, or a constant tug-of-war is going on, you're probably spending too much energy navigating the relationship.

11. Never-ending drama. Good relationships improve your life; they don't make it messier.

12. Self-betrayal. If you find yourself changing your opinions to please someone else, you're in a negative relationship.

13. Constant challenges. All relationships go through challenges, but good relationships work through them.

14. Always undermining. If a relationship can't be reassuring, it's failing a crucial test.

15. Signs of envy. Relationships are never equal in all aspects, but that should be a source of strength, not of a source of disruptive envy.

16. Stuck in the past. You can't move onto the future if you're tied to someone who's still stuck in the past.

17. Makes you unhappy. If someone is constantly making you unhappy, you owe it to yourself to let that person go.

18. Feels uncomfortable. Sometimes your mind needs more time to discover what your heart already knows.

19. Filled with criticism. A nonstop barrage of criticism never helped anyone improve; it's not about making things better but boosting the critic's ego.

20. Cannot do anything right. If you cannot do anything right, maybe the relationship is wrong.

Relationships are so important in life, but negative relationships can cost you so much time and energy that you could be putting to much better use.

Remember to stay true to yourself and your values, trust your judgement, and be strong if you need to reduce or remove yourself from any unhealthy relationship(s). The people in your life should be fulfilling and leave you feeling good about yourself and the relationship itself, anything less than that might need to be re-evaluated. Hopefully this helps you to take charge of your relationships and surround yourself with people that are supportive and bring out the best in all of your relationships.