Unwelcome Company

Even if you don’t always heed the advice, you are probably wise enough to know that the company you keep is critical to your dreams, aspirations and general mental health. You can’t have too much negativity in your life if you expect to thrive or be happy. 

Recently, I’ve been thinking about this from a slightly different angle. I realized I cannot tolerate long bouts of negativity because I already have a fierce and menacing foe to battle - MYSELF. 

Many of us are our own worst enemies. It’s the reason we don’t go after the things we say we dream about. That inner critic is a wily opponent. It will persuade us into thinking we aren’t good enough, that it isn’t worth the hassle or that failure will be the end of life as we know it. We can develop ways to manage the critic, even a plan to recover from moments of weakness, but it will always be there. It’s just part of the human condition and the reason we need people in our lives that remind us of who we really are.

What I do know is that this is enough to contend with. We certainly don’t need people that don’t support our ambitions or inspire us to become better people. Don't fear cutting the ties that you suspect may be holding you back because you don't want to come off as rude. If you're not sure, you can always experiment and reassess.