Normalize Walking Away from People

Breaking Free from Toxic Relationships

Listen, I’m gonna tell you something straight up, and I want you to hear me loud and clear: Walking away from people is okay.

I don’t care what anyone has told you. I don’t care how much you’ve been gaslit into believing that leaving people behind is some kind of betrayal. It’s not. There’s no loyalty to people who drain you. There’s no honour in sticking around people who make you question your worth. It’s okay to walk away.

You’ve been taught your whole life that leaving people behind is a failure. That abandoning someone, even when they’re toxic, means you’re the bad guy. That if you just keep trying, if you just give a little more of yourself, people will come around. But let me be real with you for a second: Not everyone deserves a seat at your table.

I want you to understand this: You do not have to hold onto people who suck the life out of you. That’s not love, that’s not loyalty, and that sure as hell isn’t friendship. You know what it is? It’s toxic. It’s emotional manipulation. It’s the slow death of your energy, your self-worth, and your peace. And you know what? You don’t owe anyone that.

So let’s get straight to it. Why do we stick around? Why do we hang on to relationships and friendships that clearly aren’t healthy for us? Maybe it’s the guilt. Maybe it’s the fear of being alone. Maybe it’s because we were told from the moment we could understand language that relationships are sacred, that you fight for them no matter what. That no matter how much they hurt you, you have to keep showing up. You have to be the bigger person. You have to forgive and forget. But let me ask you something: How much pain do you have to endure before you realize it’s not worth it?

I’ve been there. I know how it feels to hold onto people who never even asked if I was okay. I know what it feels like to keep giving, and giving, and giving until you’re completely empty, and the people around you still aren’t satisfied. You give them your time, your love, your support, and what do you get in return? Nothing. Or worse, they make you feel like you’re not doing enough. They make you feel like you’re not good enough.

And that’s when you have to make the hardest choice. You have to walk away.

But listen, walking away isn’t easy. It’s not some quick decision that you make without consequences. It’s messy. It’s painful. But it’s also one of the most empowering things you can do for yourself. Walking away is not a weakness. It’s a strength. It’s standing up for yourself when no one else will. It’s saying, “I matter. My peace matters. My worth matters.” And you know what? That’s worth more than any half-assed friendship, any toxic relationship, or any person who only brings drama into your life.

We’ve been made to feel like cutting people off is something we should apologize for. Like, somehow we’re the bad guys for protecting our boundaries. But here’s the truth: You don’t owe anyone an explanation for protecting your peace. You don’t owe anyone the privilege of taking up space in your life if they can’t respect you, love you, and treat you with decency.

But the thing is, it’s not just about the people who treat you badly; it’s also about recognizing when you’re staying in situations that aren’t good for you. It’s about recognizing your own worth. And that is a hard pill to swallow. Because people can only treat you the way you allow them to. If you keep allowing people who don’t value you to stay in your life, you’re not doing yourself any favours. You’re telling the universe, “I’m fine with this,” when deep down, you’re screaming for something better.

That’s why walking away isn’t just about getting rid of bad people; it’s about creating space for good people. People who see you for who you truly are, who appreciate you, and who love you the way you deserve. But you’ll never make room for them if you’re still hanging on to people who drain you. That’s the truth you need to hear.

And let’s talk about fear for a second, fear of being alone, fear of losing people, fear of feeling like you’re the only one left standing. That fear is real. I get it. It feels like the world will collapse when you let someone go. It feels like there’s this huge empty space where that person used to be. And maybe, for a while, there will be. But guess what? That emptiness is not your enemy. It’s your freedom.

You see, we hold on to toxic people because we’re afraid we’ll never find better. But the truth is, the more you hold on to these people, the less likely you are to find the people who are actually worthy of your time. You can’t find something new if you’re still stuck on the old. That’s not just about relationships; that’s about everything. You can’t move forward if you’re constantly looking behind.

And the longer you stay, the harder it is to walk away. Because that happens when we stick around too long: We start to lose ourselves. We lose sight of what we deserve. We lose our sense of self-worth. We let other people’s opinions of us become our reality. And that’s the most dangerous thing you can do to yourself. Because when you start to believe that you’re not good enough, you start accepting less than you deserve. You start accepting bullshit.

But you are good enough. You are worthy of respect. You are worthy of love that doesn’t come with strings attached. You are worthy of people who don’t make you feel like you’re an afterthought.

So, why stay? Why stay when people don’t see you? Why stay when they don’t respect your time, your feelings, your boundaries? Why stay when every time you try to give a little of yourself, they take more than they’re willing to give? The answer is simple: you shouldn’t. You shouldn’t have to beg for respect. You shouldn’t have to fight for validation. You shouldn’t have to tolerate mistreatment just to keep someone around.

Walking away is not about burning bridges. It’s about saving yourself. It’s about choosing to put yourself first. And I’m telling you this because I want you to hear it loud and clear: You do not need anyone who doesn’t value you. You do not need anyone who makes you feel less than what you are. You do not need anyone who treats you like an option instead of a priority.

And let me tell you something, when you walk away, you will be surprised at what’s waiting for you on the other side. When you let go of the people who aren’t meant for you, you make room for the ones who will build you up, who will stand by you, who will love you for exactly who you are. But you have to let go first. You have to let them go.

So, here’s my challenge to you: Stop waiting for someone else to give you permission to walk away. You don’t need anyone’s permission. You don’t need anyone’s approval. Just walk away. Walk away from people who drain you, walk away from people who don’t respect you, and walk away from people who make you feel small. And don’t look back.

Because you deserve more. You deserve peace. You deserve real love. You deserve respect.

Normalize walking away from people who don’t serve you. Normalize protecting your energy. Normalize cutting ties with the people who don’t treat you like you matter, because you do. And if someone can’t see that, then it’s not your problem anymore. It’s theirs.

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I also wrote a little book called “For All the Wrong Reasons.”
It’s about a girl who moves to a small autumn town called Maplewood… only to find herself falling for her roommate’s boyfriend. It’s a story about wanting someone you probably shouldn’t, and all the messiness that follows.

If you’re a member of Hasif’s Porchlight Club ($3/month), you can read it for free.
Alternatively, you can purchase it separately for $5.

Join the club here or
Buy the book here