In the office lingo of American English, there is an expression for the act of protecting your reputation from bad actors or circumstances: to “cover your ass.” There is a missing equivalent for protecting who you are as a person, your ethical commitments, and your vibe. I hence-ford propose a new expression: to “cover your soul”.
To cover your soul means to shield yourself from people whom you do not share their values, behaviors, and perspectives. After all, we all become the average of the 5 people we spend the most time with. It is an act of self-respect and compassion to cut ties with whom we do not share the same values.