An Inner Circle - We Are Who We Spend Time With

The people who we surround ourselves with have a strong gravitational pull on our lives. We tend to act like they act and do things like they do things. I have heard several people say, over the years, that they started smoking because they were hanging out with people who smoked. I know people who have started exercising and getting healthier because the people they were spending time with did this as well. As I understood this observation I became very aware of who was in my life. If the people I hang out with have that much of an influence on my life, then I better put some serious thought into the type of people I want in my life. I looked at my work environment. I became very important to me to only be around positive, uplifting people. Then I took it a step further, I looked at the people we serve. I asked my team, “What type of client do we want to serve?” There is a reason why we did this. In most service- type businesses you cannot serve everyone. I understand that one way service businesses make money is by serving lots of people. Even with that being said, it is very powerful for you and your team to decide who you want to serve and why. The more a business has a team who really enjoys working together, who has a common purpose, and the more that business appeals to a larger scope of ideal clients, the better service and the more profit the business will see. This scenario will create a positive feedback loop. Service goes up, profit goes up, the team is more fulfilled, the clients are more satisfied, and more referrals, and so on. Work is a big part of our lives, but it is not our whole life. Family is even more important than work. So we get to ask the question again. “What do I want my family to be like?” Now I understand we cannot replace one family member for a new person, however, we can decide the kinds of attitudes and attributes we are looking for and cultivate them in our existing family members. I understand that not everyone is going to be willing to make changes. All we can do is the best we can. Just because someone is family does not mean that they are going to be in all aspects of your life, and it does not mean you are choosing them as one of your Inner Circle friends. What is an Inner Circle friend? Someone in your Inner Circle is someone who has similar values, attitudes, and basic philosophies as you do. I am not saying to create cookie cutters of you, but values and philosophies are very important in your Inner Circle. These Inner Circle friends are there for you regardless of the circumstance. You love how you feel when you are around them. You are inspired, You are yourself. Your opinion matters and counts for something. Life is more enjoyable because these people are sharing your life with you. These are the ones you invite to a new restaurant, on a trip, to share a new experience, simply for a cup of coffee, to talk, laugh, and even cry. They hug you, pray for and with you and value who you are as a person. Your Inner Circle people are very special. Enjoy the process of deciding whom you want to spend your time with living life.