As the New Year is coming upon us I wanted to share some of my thoughts with you. At the beginning of each year I always evaluate what occurred in my previous year: the good things, the bad things, the successes, and the failures. I reflect on things that need to be changed and I commit to those changes with the coming year.

One of the changes that are hard to make but pertinent is leaving those behind who have not added anything to your life. In years past I have made the decision to leave a few people behind because I could see that they were not adding value to our relationship. I have talked about leaving people behind before and if you consistently read my posts, you know that this is an important topic for me. I strongly believe that whom you choose to surround yourself with will greatly affect your success.

Many times you can catch yourself involved in bad relationships that are putting a damper on your success. Whether the relationships are just a friendship or an intimate situation, you have to step back and realize when things need to change. I did not get where I am today by keeping toxic relationships. I only allow positive things into my life and this is how you should direct your life as well.

Bad relationships only allow for more distractions in your life. When you constantly have to address something in your relationship, you are taking away the potential for your success and ability to grow. I have had many bad relationships along my journey to success, and they did nothing but try to poison my potential and slow me down. Once I moved on from them, I saw myself flourish again and the potential came back. After experiencing this a couple of times, I knew exactly when I needed to evaluate my circle and I left people behind sooner than later.

Making the decision to adjust your circle can be difficult. I have done it plenty of times and it never gets any easier, but it becomes necessary and you learn to accept the fact that you are doing what is best for your future. When evaluating your circle, think about where the people you surround yourself with will be in 5 years or 10 years and see if their goals match what you have planned for yourself. If they don’t, you probably need to consider moving on from them and finding a new circle with greater potential. Remember you are only as strong as your weakest link. Don’t let your circle bring you down in 2016.

Ronne B