I avoid negative energy

The reliable test isn't how a meeting feels while it's happening. Plenty of draining conversations are lively at the time. It's the hour afterwards — whether you went home and did something, or lay down on the bed with your coat still on.

Run that check across the repeat fixtures in your week and the pattern is usually embarrassing in its obviousness. It isn't a verdict on anybody's character. Some pairings just cost more than they return, and there's no standing requirement to keep paying every Thursday.