8 types of people to avoid in life/work

Especially if you're a writer and/or want to live a creative life

Something I don’t think we talk enough about (when we talk about living a creative life) is this: avoiding people who are not good for you. People who knowingly or unknowingly sabotage your confidence, self-esteem or focus. This doesn’t mean that certain people are necessarily ‘bad people’ — it’s just realising that they are bad for you.

To live a life of creativity, to show up as the best version of yourself, take risks and live a life you love, means picking very wisely who you spend your time with. Julia Cameron calls these positive forces in your life “Believing Mirrors” — the people in your life who see your potential and genuinely want the best for you. It's equally as important to spot the people who do not want the best for you.

In Julia’s 2003 book Supplies: A Troubleshooting Guide for Creative Difficulties (with a rather bizarre old school cover!) she writes very clearly about the types of people to avoid. On the back cover it says “a small but powerful book of enchantments for dispelling creative monsters!” Creative monsters — oh yes, they exist.

They especially like to come out when you start shining/growing/thriving. This is often when you can attract some unwanted attention and unwanted people who sometimes don’t want the best for you. This post is partly inspired by Julia’s book with my own twist/anecdotes on things:

So, here’s a run-down of the types of people to avoid and how to spot them: