LSEF

The above acronym stands for one of my pet peeves when it comes to friendships: Low Self Esteem Friends. These aren't the people who necessarily have low self esteem; they just make YOU feel like you should feel crappy about yourself and question every bit of confidence you thought you had.

I have a couple LSEFs. They're both similar in a lot of ways - attractive, fit, successful, intelligent, use SAT words now and again. They might even be a tad on the materialistic side as well. Either way, they have a lot going on for themselves, and they sure want you to know about it!

One of the top 3 things that boils my blood is when people brag incessantly - it's my theory that people do so because they are secretly insecure. They try and cover this insecurity by flailing their successes left and right, hoping to convince everyone around them that they have perfect lives and you should envy them.

I actually DON'T feel jealous toward people like this - I can see right through them. If you're so incredibly happy and secure, why try and share it with the whole world? It's like those people who constantly update their Facebook photos/status/about me and flood them with "I'm so happy" and "My life is so wonderful" sentiments. Yes, we all like to share good times with others, but by doing so non-stop, it gives off the impression that you're not only trying to convince other people, but yourself as well. We can't all be happy all the time. Sometimes our lives suck, so just own up to it!

Anyway, these LSEFs are people I've had to endure in my life, and while these friends obviously have more redeeming qualities than not (I wouldn't call them friends otherwise), it's still frustrating to carry on a conversation with someone who makes me think, "Should I be doing more than my 10-minute Solutions workout videos?" or "Was eating that second Toblerone bar really worth it?" or "Do I suck at my job - no, wait - life?"

The best anecdote I can think of for dealing with LSEFs is to not only talk yourself out of feeling down and out, but to subsequently surround yourself with a friend or family member who makes you feel on top of the world. Yes, I know it's all about relying on yourself to make you happy, but positive reinforcement from other people is crucial sometimes. I'm fortunate to have an awesome family that loves me for me, and there are a select few friends of mine who could be called HSEFs (no need to explain that acronym there).

I could go on and on about my wonderful support system, but then I'd just be bragging. And I don't want you to stop reading my blog.