Mean girls aren’t like Regina George.

If they were, it would be easy to know to stay away from them.

Not all mean girls are wealthy, image-conscious, stick-thin blondes. They also don’t always have the reputation of being “mean girls.”

The problem is that mean girls are way worse than Regina George because they don’t look like mean girls. Mean girls can be your “friends.”

Mean girls know how to gain and betray your trust.

They are the girls who, on a rough day, ask you what’s going on not because they care about you, but so they can have something juicy to gossip about.

They are the girls who tell you they love you, only to exclude you.

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They are the girls who give a compliment to your face only to make fun of you to someone else later.

I’m sorry to tell you, but these mean girls grow up and become mean women. And they are everywhere.

They are your neighbors, your coworkers, and your “friends.”

They are your neighbor who stops by to say hi and welcome you to the neighborhood, only to then tell your other neighbor how they wish you had never moved in.

They are your coworker who pretends to be your friend, only to complain to your boss about you behind your back.

They are the one-sided friendships you value, but they don’t see you the same way.

They are the women who find ways to make you feel bad about yourself, though you don’t always realize it until later.

They are the women who are jealous of your happiness and success, your bridesmaid who doesn’t like your spouse, or your bitter friend who throws you a baby shower out of obligation.

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In other words, mean girls are the girls who don’t add any value to your life.

So yes, sometimes I wish mean girls were like Regina George because then everyone would be able to see these girls for who they are. I’m sorry to tell you that’s not the way it is.

All we can do is be better than them.