If you lie with dogs, you get fleas
Who do you spend the most time with?
My sister and I were talking about the dramatic changes in my life over the past few years. In the last three years, I have achieved more than I ever dreamed I would. Or could.
The accelerator for this massive growth was the staggeringly painful end of my 17-year relationship.
I’ll save the details for another time, but my relationship wasn’t good. My ex never supported my dreams and ambitions. And because he didn’t believe in me, I stopped believing in me. He questioned my capabilities, so I did too.
With him completely out of my life, I only had my own doubts to deal with. I started surrounding myself with people who inspired and encouraged me and that taught me an important lesson:
If you lie with dogs, you’ll get fleas.
If you surround yourself with people who don’t believe in you, you won’t believe in you.
So give yourself the gift of new role models. These can be real-life contacts or people who share their wisdom via books, podcasts, documentaries, articles, YouTube videos, or whatever.
Women like Elizabeth Gilbert, Esther Perel, Oprah Winfrey, and Brene Brown give me the inspiration I need to keep going. I have never met any of them. But through their podcasts, books, and countless interviews, they sometimes feel like my best friends. And their attitudes are starting to rub off on me.
Motivational speaker Jim Rohn said: “you are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with.”
Who are the 5 people you spend the most time with? Do they support you? Do you support them? Any dogs giving you fleas? Can you distance yourself from them? What can you do to surround yourself with more support? Who is your personal cheerleader?
And more importantly, who are you cheering on? Not only does it feel great to get support, giving support is easy, fun, valuable, and free.
If you are indeed the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with, then who are you?
If you are not who you want to be, what kind of influences do you need in your life?
Food for thought…
XOXO
Judith - your 40 odd friend.