Do people around you hold you back?
Today our focus will be on the people that surround us. Do you ever feel that you’re outgrowing your relationships? I mean, do you ever feel that friends, colleagues or even family members sometimes seem to dislike or disagree with your more enhanced version of you? Do you ever allow these people to hold you back?
Far too many times I have listened to examples where people feel that they are no longer connected with people that meant the world to them! Therefore I would like to share a few points to bear in mind whenever you find yourself feeling like there is no connection with people with whom you used to feel extremely connected in the past…
Point no.1: We evolve in different ways
All of us have basic needs, not merely desires but profound needs that underlie and motivate every choice we make. I’m not going to go into explaining what these needs are, because I need another whole blog post for that, but remember that one of these needs is the need for growth. Just like in nature, seasons change and everything eventually grows or dies; the same principle is true for humans as well. The only difference is that people have different ways of fulfilling this need. Some people satisfy the need to grow by working out physically or by reading books. Others need to study and learn constantly. Remember there is no right or wrong way of meeting that need; it is just a different way, and you seem to have a very different way than your friends, your relatives, etc.
Point no. 2: Assume responsibility
I truly understand that you feel that they are holding you back; however you have to realise that it is your responsibility to decide who, how often and if you want to meet with them. You also need to remember that we all have hiccups one way or the other; but it is our responsibility to decide how we would like to deal with those and what kind of impact other people will have on you. What I see mature people do is they stay close with their old friends, because they have been a significant part of their lives, yet at the same time they make sure they spend a significant amount of their time with those people who like to push themselves to their personal edge; people that want to create a positive change on a regular basis. Usually those people are interesting, fun to be around; and in the end they make you feel more inspired, happier and fuller of a positive emotion!
Point no. 3: Lead by example
Instead of trying to impose new ideas on others, or become judgemental, lead by example! Become the best version of yourself consistently so that other people could be curious (or not!) to find out what it is that has helped you change so much! If you are interested in influencing those people around you, for whatever reason, e.g to change their diet, or to start exercising, or start attending personal development events, always bear in mind that it is THEY who have to choose to do it.
