One of the most important, and sometimes difficult, decisions we have to make is who we will and will not travel through life with. Relationships are the most complex aspects of our lives and if you truly want to be happy and become the best version of yourself, you have to hold high standards for those you initially bring into your inner circle.

You may even have to subtract or lesson contact with those who do not treat you well right now, pick on you, make you feel unworthy or unlovable, complain too often, or those who focus on their problems, rather than find solutions. You need to avoid those who bring out your negative emotions more often than your positive ones.

It is not cold-hearted or selfish to let go of or avoid individuals that do not bring out your most positive emotions and best qualities on a regular basis.

It is essential and it is an act of self-love.

“It doesn’t take a lot of strength to hang on. It takes a lot of strength to let go.” – J. C. Watts, American politician from Oklahoma who was a college football quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners.

If you truly want to be happy in life, you must give yourself permission to let go and surround yourself with those who will support your dreams and encourage you to reach for the stars.

We all deserve that.

It is only by traveling with those who raise us higher, challenge and encourage us to become better, support our choices, make us proud of who we are, and those who allow us to be ourselves that make the journey enjoyable. And the more enjoyable and free we are, the more we rise.

Allow yourself the right to be picky when choosing your friends and remember, friends rub off on us, so choose those you want to mirror.

Seek those who have the qualities you want to acquire or the career you want to have. Search for mentors and the type of people you want to be most like as you get older. For example, if you want to become a writer, join a writers group at school or online. If you want to be an athlete, join a team and surround yourself with other athletes while seeking the advice of many different coaches. If you would like to become an entrepreneur, join online business groups or talk to local business owners and ask lots of questions AND… if you want to be a kind and honest person who is respected by many, surround yourself with kind and honest people who deserve your respect.

It will always be your choice to determine who you will and will not travel through life with as you get older, and it will always be your decision to choose the type of person you want to become.

Choose wisely and remember, you will ultimately become a reflection of those you surround yourself with when you look in the mirror.

“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” – Jim Rohn, American entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker.

About the Author: Michelle C. Ustaszeski-Hutchinson is the Founder and Executive Editor of The Teen Mentor, LLC, based in Coopersburg, Pennsylvania. She is a Personal Development Expert and The Faciliator of Wisdom. As co-author of 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Michelle teamed with some of the top motivational gurus such as Zig Ziglar, Brian Tracy, Jim Rohn, Denis Waitley, and Joe Vitale in order to offer a compilation of self-improvement teachings. She has been quoted as a “Master of Success” among some of the worlds most famous thinkers and published in numerous books and on thousands of websites around the world. Read More…