𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔

Surrounding ourselves with positivity requires intentionality, even the holy book says the one walking with the wise will become wise and the one walking with the foolish will fair badly, this goes a long way to prove that our growth sometimes depends on the company we keep.

Ever noticed how most times we become what we read and who we mingle with? Ever heard Show Me Your Friend and I Will Tell You Who You Are?

Growing up, my parents did a fine job raising me to be very picky with my friends, in my mom's words, pick your friends just as you pick beans, and whenever they sensed a friend of mine who was no good for me, they alert me to discard such friendship, at first I didn't understand that all they were doing was to groom me to become a better person, I felt like they were strict, restrictive and even anti-social until when I grew older, I knew better.

Some circles of friends are good for nothing, imagine having friends who wouldn't say positive things whenever you're around them, or the ones who would rather gossip about others instead of focusing on their life, or the ones has no better plan for their future, and the list of those good for nothing friends are endless.

This beautiful piece of wisdom has helped me along on my path in life in that I am now very intentional about my growth in life, I surround myself with people whose goals and vision align with mine, and I surround myself with very optimistic people and to do life, one needs to be very optimistic.

What I read, on the other hand, has helped me boost my self-confidence and self-esteem because I know that words are very powerful, which is why I try to read upbuilding words in the form of self-affirmations, I also read books that broaden my knowledge, that even on social media I am very selective of the accounts I follow, once I notice a derogatory speech from a person either through what they post online or how they reply people on their comment section, I disassociate myself from them because unknowingly one might get easily influenced by them.

It's funny how some people say, they are different from what they post online, but I stand to be corrected for I know that out of the abundance of heart, the mouth speaks, and you cannot post what doesn't resonate with your very essence.

Being very picky has earned me respect, and helped me stay out of trouble, it has also helped me develop empathy for others for I am aware of the golden rule.

It has also helped me identify my values in life and what I want to be known for while being intentional about what I read has helped me to be very productive and enhanced my creativity more than I would have imagined, it has also been a therapeutic escape for the not-so-good days which has helped me to face some hurdles in life with courage and hope.