Left Lane

Have you ever been driving to work and you hit every traffic light? To top it off, there is always that one car that is in the left lane, driving the same speed as the car in the right. Oh, you do well for a few miles. But soon your your heart rate gets jacked and you start having that internal conversation. Finally you blurt out those infamous words. Come on mother fucker!!!

Of course you have. Who among us hasn’t been in a rush, and stuck behind someone who is completely clueless? That’s life…so you better learn to deal with it. I like to look at that scenario as the same with people who slow us down in our personal lives. You know, that one friend who sees everything as a dramatic event. They’re always in a highly toxic relationship. They have zero boundaries. They never ask you how you’re doing. In short, they simply drain you. Left lane, baby.

You will never regain your power by sitting with those who choose chaos as an acceptable way of life. And this isn’t about judgement. This is about your mental health. It is no different than sitting next to someone and they continue to blow smoke in your face. {Again no judgement. I was a heavy smoker for years, and was very respectful about other personal space.} You wouldn’t want to be next to that person blowing smoke. So why would you want to be around someone who literally depresses you? The same conversations. The same outcomes. Never willing to take advice. What are you doing?

Let me make this simple. Run! Cut bait, lose the dead weight and learn to skate…away from those who drain you. It is entirely possible to love someone and protect your mental health. The addiction community has learned this lesson long ago. You need not go down with a sinking ship. We can throw a life preserver, but it is up to the drowning person to want to preserve their life. So let me put a bow on it for you. Not everyone who enters your life is supposed to stay. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be healthy. And if closing some doors will do that for you, by all means, close that door. But be careful. Sometimes the person you close the door on, will continue to try and open the door. Sometimes you need to nail that mother fucker shut, so they get the message.

The take away…you have a say. So say goodbye. And may that left lane opens up for you.