You Are Who You Surround Yourself With

“You are the average of the five people you most associate with” – Tim Ferriss

Just let that sink in for a minute and maybe, if you are feeling ambitious, take a minute to think of who those five people would be for you. In essence, we are a reflection of the people around us. The people who we are surrounded by every day; the ones who fill our time, mind, phone, newsfeed, snapchat, etc. – those people are the ones who influence who you are. They help dictate your thoughts, your values, and your norms. They affect your mental wellbeing and who you are as a person.

So, do you like your average?

Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on.”- Baz Luhrmann, The Sunscreen Song

In our lives, we go through so many different relationships and as we move through different stages of our lives those friend groups inevitably change. Although this can be both incredibly hard or a true blessing, it really is just a fact of life. People will come and people will go. And knowing this fact should make us think about the precious few we should hold on to – the ones that we want to be an average of.

So, the point? What I’m really trying to say is be aware of what your reflection says based on the people around you. Create an atmosphere for yourself that lets you be your best self, and let that start with your circle. Be surrounded by like minds and enjoy the company of people who share your common interests and views. Be surrounded by people who are different than you, to learn new things and be exposed to different perspectives. And be surrounded by people that inspire you and empower or push you to be the best version of yourself.

The best part is – if you don’t like your average, you can change it. While you take an inventory of the people around you, know which ones that are the precious few you should hold on to and the ones who were meant to both come and go.

“Great minds discuss ideas, average ones discuss events, and small minds discuss people” – Eleanor Rosevelt

After spending this past weekend celebrating Thanksgiving, this particular topic seems fitting. I feel incredibly blessed to be surrounded by the best family and friends. From those living in the same city or across the country/the world, I appreciate the wonderful people who make my work/school/passion projects/kickboxing/professional development/life the best it can be.

It’s true – you are who you surround yourself with, so owe it to yourself to make awesome.

 

Sara

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