Over the past two Fridays, I have been meeting with a couple of amazing women. We are gathering together (on Zoom, of course) to brainstorm about business ideas and support each other. One of the best things about these conversations is how much I learn from them both! I get so much energy and inspiration from being around others that are motivated and working towards higher goals. I learn from them both – they have skills and knowledge that I don’t have.
My thought today is on how important it is to create relationships with people that are ‘good’ for you. It is more than just surrounding yourself with people that help you grow, people with skills, knowledge or just overall better habits than you. Yes, do that! These people will influence you in good ways. But there are also those friends that need help, that are asking for your support or knowledge. Friends that need a little push to get moving. These are ‘good’ for you too. By being the helper, you get a shot of confidence and your self-esteem is boosted. Both are ‘good’ for you.
When you are choosing who to hangout with or where to spend your time, be more purposeful. I try to minimize the “Negative Nellies” in my social circle. Like everyone else, life gets me down too, but it is not good for me to spend time with someone who is always looking at the negative. It is okay to say no to lunch or reduce your time with someone that is draining or difficult. If a friend is difficult right now or in a bad place, supporting them is important, but you also have to strike a balance. You are not able to help others if you get pulled into the negative spin too. Add a phone conversation with a positive upbeat friend after your “Negative Nellie” lunch. Remember that the energy, good or bad, from the people around your rubs off, you feel it and often carry it with you. It is okay to say “no” or “not right now”. It is also okay to call a friend and ask for a little cheering up, if that’s what you need.
I also like to have people that push me to think about things in a different ways. I love to have diversity my social group, not just in their backgrounds or their ethnicity, but in their tastes in music, movies, and even in their beliefs. I find that surrounding myself with people just like me is boring.🙂
Over the past several weeks I have been working grow my social group and re-connect with colleagues and friends who I have lost touch with. So watch your inbox, FB messages and LinkedIn notifications, I am reaching out! And if you want to connect or re-connect, please feel free to click here to schedule a 30-minute window on my calendar and we can catch up or meet. I would love to talk with you!
