Spend Time with People Who Appreciate You | A Happy Circle of Positive Friends

A wise person once said to me, "We become like the 5 people we spend the most time with."
That's a powerful statement.
Think about it: even as adults we are subtly influenced by "peer pressure". We tend to pick up on the attitudes, language and mood of the people we hang out with.
So who are the 5 people you spend the most time with? Do they embody the "Welcome Joy" attitude towards life? Or are they negative, cynical and blaming?
And how do they treat you? Note who you enjoy being around. A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself "after spending time with this person, do I feel stronger or weaker?" The answer can give you important clues on who to spend time with.
If you want to feel joyful, choose to have people in your life who:
· Treat you with love and respect
· Want the best for you as you define it
· Help you find out what you want to do and how to do it
· Encourage you to explore all your talents and interests
· Are thrilled when you succeed
· Listen to you when you need to complain
· Help you learn from failure without making you feel like a bad person
I encourage you to spend less time with critical people and more time with those who appreciate you. You'll notice a difference in how you feel about yourself and how much joy you experience.
Note added June 4, 2007: This article was chosen to be included in the following blog carnivals: Powerful Living; Positive Thinking; Observations on Life; Brain Fitness; Happiness Carnival and Carnival of Life.