writer, among other things.

5 types of 'broke' people that are hindering your personal growth

i've heard it said many times before that we should be mindful when dealing with still or stagnant people because those types of behaviors are infectious. similarly, more often than not, when people think of "broke" they think of financially broke. so in an attempt to merge the two together (stagnation and finances) here's something that i'm hoping will get you to think a little outside of the box and really get to thinking of how you can get to a better version of yourself. our surroundings play a major role in who we become and our thought processes. with that in mind, these are the types of people who may be being more of a liability in your life than an asset. 

5). the "financially broke" one. 

you ever been in a situation where you wanted to do something fun but you couldn't because everyone you were with said they didn't have the money? or, do you find yourself always having to pick up the tab when you're out with your friends? that's annoying. and, it goes beyond the financial aspect. if you know people who are always broke or struggling financial, it could be due to a variety of reasons. let's say maybe they don't have a job/consistent income? well, why don't they have a job? what is preventing them from being able to obtain employment and more importantly, what are they doing to overcome these issues? or maybe, their job doesn't pay them enough? well if that's the case, in what areas are they spending their money can they cut down on? so often, people live beyond their means anyway and because of that, they live check to check. living check to check only means one thing...you are one check away from homelessness. if you are surrounding yourself with these type of "broke" people, you are ultimately stunting your own growth because either you'll enable their lifestyle by constantly paying for them any and everywhere you guys go (annoying)..or you will begin to downsize your life and miss out on things you want to do because all your people are broke (also annoying). 

4). the "spiritually bankrupt" one. 

the people we surround ourselves with play a major role in our lives. not only are they the people we travel with, hang out with and converse with on the regular; they are also the ones that we give us advice and listen to us when we babble on and on about things that people outside of our circle would deem irrelevant or wouldn't understand. however, while loyalty, charisma and dependability may be some of the qualities we look for in our friends, it's exceedingly critical that our friends are spiritually sound as well. all of your friends (not some, all) should be spiritually fed enough to the extent that when you've lost your way, they can help you get back on course. the "knuck if you buck" crew is cool and all but how beneficial is that long term? we've got to surround ourselves with people who can speak faith to us and remind us of just how blessed we are when our circumstances have blinded us. if all your circle can offer you is the quickest way to the liquor store or how to roll up, you may need to reconsider where you're headed. 

3). the "emotionally impoverished" one. 

i feel like one of the biggest misconceptions out there today is that to show emotion means you're weak. in reality, showing emotion is a human trait. therefore (in my mind), not showing emotion is inhumane. surrounding yourself with people are don't like to show emotion takes away from the essence of who you are. life isn't all about being "hard up" all the time. it's about creating memories and meaningful, organic relationships with people. not to mention, lacking emotion desensitizes you to the beauty that life has to offer. i mean after all, you live life through shared experiences that are felt. you don't wanna miss out because you were too busy trying not to have people think you were "weak". 

2). the "tactfully depleted" one. 

this is that person (or persons) you know that just seems to lack respect all across the board. maybe it's the guy you hang out with who treats women as though they are disposable; sleeping with anyone with a vagina and a pulse. or maybe, it's your female friend who has absolutely no integrity below the belt and treats men as though they are sponsors that she can control through sex. and it doesn't have to always be sex related, either. maybe you've got someone in your circle that is just completely disrespectful. disrespectful to authority, to their elders.. to people in leadership; they just don't seem to care. in my mind, all of these types fall under one category; those who lack class and tact. and as the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together...do you want people making preconceived judgments about you because of who you surround yourself with? you may think that "loyalty is all i know" but if you keep it up..that's literally all you'll ever know because nobody will be willing to get to know you based off the tacky folks you surround yourself with, ya know?

1). the "goal deficient" one. 

growing up, my mom always told my siblings and me to be mindful of who we spent our time with. and now, i see why it was important. fact of the matter is, all of us should aspire to have friends that are striving to be better versions of themselves each and every day. if you find yourself shining bright and your friends are just coasting by the bayside, you may want to start taking note. if you friends aren't challenging themselves and exploring new territory in different areas of their life, they aren't growing. and, anything that isn't growing...is dead. you can't be upset that life seems to be weighing you down when you've made the conscious decision to carry unnecessary dead weight around with you.