The practice of self-care helps to prioritize your life and bring about order and harmony. It allows you to set boundaries and eliminate distractions that can hinder, or even prevent, you from becoming your highest and best self.
Examine your relationships and be honest about your assessment. Your relationships should be purposeful, nourishing and encouraging. Understand that not all relationships were meant to last a lifetime. People will come and go throughout the different phases of your life. Some people are only meant to travel with you for a certain season. You might be clinging to relationships whose season has expired for where you’re being led at this point in time. Here are some questions that will provide clues as to whether your relationships are a right fit for you:
1. Are your relationships productive and purposeful? Productive relationships are flourishing two-way relationships where you’re not being judged or examined under a microscope. You’re looking for give-and-take relationships rather than being the only one doing the giving.
2. Do your relationships nourish or drain you? You should be connected to people who encourage you. This doesn’t mean having a bunch of “yes” people around, but people who will give it to you straight as a way of bringing out your best. If you have relationships that are draining, you need to confront the other party and express your concern. If nothing changes, you must be courageous enough to take the necessary action to prevent them from dragging you down emotionally.
3. Are there people around you who are critical of your dreams and aspirations? You do not want dream killers close to you. Surround yourself with people who also have dreams and aspirations. Busy, productive people don’t have time to be critical of others because they too are engrossed in doing their own thing. Keep your adversaries at a distance and turn a deaf ear to your critics.
4. Does you inner circle encourage you to become your best? Do not tolerate jealous, negative, competitive people in your inner circle. Establish boundaries so that you don’t become distracted and lose focus of what really matters in your life.
5. Are you connected to people who have a limited view of your potential? Don’t allow other people to define who you are or what you can accomplish. It will always be too small. A prominent pastor once said that people will define you as being one-dimensional by placing a period where God has put a comma. Don’t limit your accomplishments to just one thing. Use the many gifts and talents you’ve been given. You were created to be a winner. Take an inventory of your relationships and be careful to note the ones that are productive as well as the ones that are unproductive. Make a list of the people who add to your life and another list of the ones who take from you. Include both your personal and professional relationships.
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**As an entrepreneur, author, speaker and coach, my mission is to provide expert solutions to people all across the nation and internationally. I collaborate with individuals and entrepreneurs to confront their challenges and achieve transformative results. To receive a complimentary download of, "Ten Fundamental Truths You Must Believe to Manifest Your Dream!" visit http://www.rebecca-mcclain.com