I believe there is one single thing that determines the quality of our lives – our relationships.
I hear these stories all the time….
“I have a friend who I have known for 20 years. It seems like she wants to bring me down. She is negative when I am happy, and almost rejoices when I am having a rough time. But I care about her and have known her for so long, I don’t know what to do”.
“I have big goals and I’m pursuing my dreams. We are going in two different directions. I don’t think he is excited for me at all”
“My jealous co-worker is driving me crazy.”
“They are snippy and short with me. I don’t know what I did to make them treat me like that.”
“My friend said something that really hurt me.“
We know we need to surround ourselves with positivity, but sometimes there are people in our circle that are just plain difficult to be around. So what do we do?
We all have weaknesses, faults and areas where we need improvement. However, just because you understand someone does not mean you need to keep them close to you. Their behavior affects you.
Set healthy boundaries and don’t feel guilty about it. You have a big life to manage and it is a lot harder when you have unsupportive people around you. You get to choose the people you keep close.
Remember, the only person you can control is yourself. You cannot control the behavior of another person.
When something happens, don’t take it personally. This means nothing about you. They are dealing with their own issues.
Take a step back and ask yourself this question… “What advice would I give a friend in this same situation?”
I believe that so much is solved in communication. Many times, hitting the issue head on with a good talk can fix the problem.
We create our own messes by allowing people to treat us poorly. What we allow continues. This is a vicious cycle that leaves us feeling empty. Train people to treat you well. You deserve it!
You may not want the confrontation of a conversation or you may feel bad hurting someone’s feelings, but the person who deals with consequences is you. Take a stand for yourself, your peace and the life you want to create.
People are in your life for a season and they are taken out for a reason. It’s not easy to lose someone you care for, but you need to trust the process and make your own needs a priority.
You deserve to have amazing people around you. You deserve to have people who are your biggest fans, who celebrate your successes and catch you when you fall. Don’t settle for anything less!
