are your friends pulling you down to their level?
“Above all, keep a close watch on this— that you are never so tied to your former acquaintances and friends that you are pulled down to their level. If you don’t, you’ll be ruined. . . . You must choose whether to be loved by these friends and remain the same person, or to become a better person at the cost of those friends . . . if you try to have it both ways you will neither make progress nor keep what you once had.”
- Epictetus
Lately, I’ve had the opportunity to reflect on how lucky I am to have the friends I surround my Self with. Whether it's group text messages, attending a concert a few weeks ago, or recording episodes of Convos with Friends on the AlignedLife Podcast, I understand how fortunate I am to have people in my life who are ambitious, positive, optimistic, operating from a similar frequency, authentic, and loving.
I’ve written in the past about the importance of making sure the people you surround your Self with are aligned with where you are heading and how painful it can be to let go of relationships that no longer are.
The last line of Epictetus’s quote is what hit the hardest for me…trying to keep people from the past around while bringing new people who are aligned into your life will not help you move closer to the authentic life you are pursuing. You must limit the people who will pull you down and surround your Self with those who will push you up.
See you tomorrow and keep pursuing,
JC
🦅 Some ways I might be able to help you live your authentic life:
🤝 One-on-Ones Let's hop on Zoom to do a guided meditation, a creative brainstorming session, or an overcoming an obstacle session.
💸 AlignedLife+ A unique relationship offered at Santiago that combines life planning, financial planning and advice, and ongoing coaching to help you discover your authentic life, design a plan to bring that life to your reality, and support to help you evolve with the evolution of your authentic life. Learn more here.
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