Clebrity Night Shot

"I just don't hang around anybody that I don't want to be with. Period. For me, that's been a blessing, and I can stay positive. I hang around people who are happy, who are growing, who want to learn, who don't mind saying sorry or thank you...and (are) having a fun time."

John Assaraf, Author.

It's true that we are influenced by the people around us. This is because our energy interacts and influences the energy of everyone and everything that we come into contact with. We become like the people that we hang out with. These people influence how we think, feel and behave.

Do you remember your parents not allowing you to hang out with 'those kids' because they are a bad influence?

Jim Rohn, author and self made millionaire puts it this way:

"You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with."

It's interesting to consider who we spend most of our time with and how they influence our thinking, feeling and behaviour. Your five could be a combination of family, friends and colleagues at work.

Have you ever worked in a job where you were surrounded by negative naysayers who whine and moan about everything? Over time you become infected by this negativity and it reduces your motivation and performance. You may even dread getting up and having to go to work in that environment every day.

Sometimes the negativity of others can hold us back and even sabotage our dreams. Especially if we are around them a lot of the time.

I call these people Drains because they infect you with their negativity and drainyour energy leaving you feeling anxious or deflated. They remind me of a Dementor sucking the Soul out of their victim in the Harry Potter books by J K Rowling!

Drains:

• put you down at every opportunity
• criticize your decisions and actions
• undermine your self confidence and self belief
• make you feel unworthy
• tell you that it will never work
• try to dissuade you from pursuing your goal
• always complain or gossip
• will blame other people for their current circumstances
• dismiss your ideas as 'just a phase' you're going through
• try to hook you and pull you back down to their level

In contrast there are people radiate positive energy. I call these Radiators because just hanging out with them makes you feel inspired, happy and motivated. They are fun to be around.
Radiators:

• believe in you
• support and encourage you in your goals and dreams
• celebrate your successes with you
• are nourishing and uplifting
• are positive and authentic
• genuinely wants you to succeed
• are inspirational
• listen with an intent to understand

To be successful we all need to be nourished by those we choose to spend our time with. They key word here is choose...Because you always have a choice.

You no longer have to allow toxic people to drain your energy.

Here's how you can start to improve the energy around you.

...And none of these involves you getting a divorce or leaving your job!

1. Stop colluding - don't get hooked into a Drain's negative conversation. Stop colluding and joining in. Don't get involved. Focus on solutions and not blame or walk away.
2. Reduce your time with toxic people - if possible, stop spending time with them completely. If you work with these people then decrease your time around them.
3. Surround yourself with Radiators - consciously look to make friends and build relationships with people who have positive energy and who support you in your growth. Spend more time with these people. Find out where they hang out. They are everywhere!
4. Surround yourself with success - When I decided that I wanted to be a successful coach, I started to hang out with successful coaches. I joined a Mastermind Group of like-minded people. This really helped because people shared their ideas and success strategies. Join a club or become involved in social activities where these people hang out.
5. Model the behaviour of successful people - What are they reading? How are they learning? Immerse yourself in the person that you want to be. Look for role models and copy their behaviour. This will help you to build your self confidence and commitment to your goals.

Are you surrounded by energy Radiators or Drains?