There Are 5 Types Of People You Meet In Your Lifetime — And Only 1 Stays For The Long Haul
They might not stay forever, but each one is important.
Elle Hughes / Pexels As we move through our lives and put years behind us, one thing becomes clear: Some people are meant to stay forever, and some are not.
While this truth might be hard to reckon with, acknowledging that certain relationships fade is a healthy way to approach the world, as it allows you to put your energy and affection where it really matters.
Here are the 5 types of people you meet in your lifetime:
1. Roadblocks and re-directors
The people who are roadblocks will stand in your way, making it difficult to achieve your goals. They radiate negativity and are more likely to drag you down than lift you up.
Having a roadblock personality means they’ll sap your energy, often prioritizing their own emotional needs over anyone else’s.
Maria Sbytova / Canva Pro
Re-directors are people who stop you in your tracks, presenting some sort of challenge that requires you to change course from where you expected to go, like a problematic ex-boyfriend or a friend who only uses you to vent.
Engaging with these people can be draining, yet their presence in your life exists for a higher purpose. When you find yourself in the company of roadblocks and re-directors, it’s for a good reason.
Learning how to navigate difficult relationships gives you a well of inner strength and resilience, and it raises your emotional intelligence, making future relationships easier.
In order to protect your peace, remind yourself that you have the inner strength to move beyond roadblocks and re-directors, and continue on your journey to your truest self.
The delays that roadblocks and re-directors create might feel frustrating, but you’ll eventually end up exactly where you need to be.
2. Assignments and teachers
Assignments and teachers are other types of people you meet along the way. Their impact is overall positive, yet they’ll often be disguised as an adverse force.
Maybe you have a toxic boss or a highly sensitive mother-in-law. Maybe your relationship with your partner has grown stagnant, or a friendship has turned sour.
Katerina Holmes / Pexels
With each assignment and teacher, you’ll learn something new about yourself that was hiding beneath the surface, waiting to emerge. You’ll learn to communicate your needs, set boundaries, and express your emotions without shame.
Assignments and teachers offer valuable lessons that help you become the best version of yourself.
3. Angels
Angels are the people in your life who watch over you, making sure you know that you’re safe and loved.
They hold you when you feel like you can’t hold yourself. They carry you across thresholds you thought you couldn’t cross. They care deeply about you, even if they’re only in your life for a moment.
Angels aren’t supposed to stay forever. Their presence is fleeting but crucial. They appear in your darkest hours to light your way.
An angel’s love shows you just how lovable you are, with all your human imperfections and all the mistakes you’ve made and will continue to make. They model sweeping self-acceptance, helping you understand that no one is flawless, and that’s what makes us valuable.
4. Guideposts
Guideposts are people who mark your path, representing something you want or a way you want to exist, motivating you to keep pushing forward.
They might take the form of a mentor, someone you look up to, someone you go to for guidance. They might be someone who holds a job you’re aiming for, or someone whose professional trajectory is one you admire.
A guidepost is someone who supports you as you pass by while you make your way toward your true calling.
5. Your tribe
These people are the ones who stay for the long haul. They’re the people you meet and immediately connect with, the ones who make you feel at home.
The people you’re supposed to know forever can appear when you least expect it, yet once they do, you’ll unfold like a flower blooming.
Gary Barnes / Pexels
They’re your support networks, the ones you call when you’re happy and when you’re not. They cheer on your every win and when you lose, they hold you and help you be gentle with yourself.
Members of our chosen families hold a meaningful, exalted place in our lives, walking with us on our journeys, holding our hands and our hearts the whole way.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers social issues, pop culture, and all things to do with the entertainment industry.