HFriends are great - but 'with great power comes great responsibility' - Spiderman (yeah, Spiderman).

 

See, friends ARE a bigger responsibility than family, because you can't choose family, you contend/enjoy/adapt to blood - but friends are all on you baby, they are 110% your choice...

 

Being passive about who you hang with, is also a choice - make no mistake about it. So, given how much your inner circle obviously or inadvertently affects your sense of self, self esteem and view of the world, you might as well invest in those who can afford to be invested you...the real you, you know, the one that wants to come out of hiding?

There are all kinds of friends and all types of friendships:Some friends are compassionate, best spoken to in times of need. Some friends are courageous, great in times of change. Some friends are fun, awesome for a laugh.If you're lucky, one or two mates will be ALL of the above!No matter what inner circle you maintain (passively or passionately), there's an undeniable energy about each person and the role they play in your life.

 

It's important to review the company you keep now and then, because they share such an energetic possibility with you, that it's ludicrous not to! 

 

Ideally, you have a network of friends that (regardless of hand-count), are reliable, kind, real and fair. Worst-case, you have a network of friends that aren't really friends, or you haven't created much of a network at all (maybe for fear of being disappointed).

 

First - no matter what, you have to trust. Trust yourself to make the right choices in people, to have the courage to change your mind if it doesn't feel good, to find new friends that better support your joy.

 

Second, you have to review what you've got. Are you hanging around any of these characters?

the sapper: Someone that knocks your creative or sensitive aspects.

the chaos-keeper:  Someone who takes your sense of calm away.

the worry-wart: Someone who makes you doubt optimism. 

the hater: Someone who is intimidated by joy and change.

If your inner-circle has one or more people that constantly embody these characters - be warned!

The root of these prototypes is fear and mistrust. These characters and associated characteristics are the vessels.

Be careful that their insecurities, limitations and doubts don't become your own. But no matter what, no matter how strong you are, the more time you spend with them, the more you become like them. It's like life, imitating art, imitating life.   

 

And to all the empaths (super-helpful) people out there, if you want to be helpful to humankind, make it meaningful to your goals too! Get paid for your special abilities to help, support and nurture those are afraid, but make sure that your selflessness, isn't some form of fear too. Because you're not here on earth, just to help others beat insecurity, you're here to face your own too. 

 

Being 'nice' and putting up with "friends" who are perpetually self-serving, negative, or sarcastic, doesn't serve you - it serves them, it feeds their fear.

So if you're a 'nice' person, is it really nice to enable destructive behaviour? No, it's not. Sometimes, it's just better to walk away. It doesn't have to be forever - just for now. Give them time to grow, and you the space to stop procrastinating. 

 

If your goal is to be the best you can be: hang with optimistic friends.

If your goal is to have peace: hang with people who respect calm.

If your goal is re-invention: hang with openminded mates.

If  your goal is success: hang with people who don't quit. 

 

So listen, whether you're 12, 22 or 62 - the same rule applies:

Be careful who you hang with or they might hang the real you.

 

If your friends only support you when you support them, only communicate when there's drama or sap your energy when you're striving for improvement - it's time to review your inner circle and the motivations behind keeping that company.  

 

Today, reflect on the company you keep. Make sure you're choosing people that  support the real you.

 

Without friends that Back You -  you will eventually end up as someone, somewhere, doing something that you never really wanted in the first place...

Keep it real - stay honest with yourself and create an inner circle that is full of love - light and optimism. You and your crew are going to have your down days, your doubts and fears - but if you all have faith in yourselves and life - there's nothing that can break you down - as an individual and as a group. 

 

There is so much power in a group - use it to your advantage and betterment. For you - them and the world at large.

 

#bethechange #enactdignity #getgrown #hangingoutorgettinghung

 

 

 

 

Written by Abby Kempe for AK Services LTD.