There is significant power in the choosing and maintaining of great friendships. Why? Because your friends are the people you allow to speak into your life. We allow them to have some sort of influence over us that may shape our attitude and perceptions about who we are and how we go about doing things.
If you surround yourself with others that are encouraging, supportive, secure, and inspiring, you yourself will feel those things too. If you surround yourself with people who are insecure, negative, and who speak badly about you or others, chances are it will rub off on you and influence you negatively.
Sometimes it’s good to do a bit of housekeeping and spring cleaning when it comes to our friends. It’s good to stop and ask ourselves if these friendships are contributing to the growth of our character, or if certain friendships are stealing from who we are.
Surround yourself with others who will take you higher.
– Oprah Winfrey
When choosing friends, look for individuals who truly love and value you just the way you are. Choose friends who want to see you succeed and see you fulfil your dreams. Choose friends who will believe in you when you face your darkest moments, because they will remind you of who you are and where you are headed, and will help lift and carry you in those trying seasons.
One who has unreliable friends will soon come to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
– Proverbs 18 : 24
Be brave enough to close those doors where friendships have become unhealthy. Become aware of unhealthy friendships by noting if these friends are constantly insecure around you, if they are jealous or possessive over you, if they gossip or speak poorly of you, if they belittle you and don’t want you to succeed. Some friendships can be emotionally abusive, and ruled by emotional manipulation.
You will know the people that feed your soul,
because you will feel good after spending time with them.
Take a moment to evaluate if your current friendships are healthy or unhealthy. Just know that you are so deserving of great friendships, and you deserve to be surrounded by people who genuinely love and value you. Remember friendships are two sided, therefore be an amazing friend to others, too. Never underestimate the power and long lasting value that great friendships holds!