Hello everyone!
It struck me over the weekend how good God has been to me when it comes to friends. I have friends I can be real with. I can fuss, cuss (yes I said cuss), cry, laugh and just be myself with these wonderful people. I don't fear any judgement, even if the conversation is uncomfortable or we don't agree. And they can do the same around me without fear of judgement.
Do you have a group of friends like this? Do you want a group of friends like this? How do you find people like this?
The first thing you need to do is examine yourself. Who are what do you attract? Are they good, healthy people who know who they are and want the best for you? Are they negative ninnies who only complain and never have anything good to say? Are they judgemental people who put everyone under a microscopet that they meet? You know who and what you attract by looking at those closest to you. Perhaps those closest to you need to change? One thing I can tell you for sure, if you hate yourself or don't know who you are, you will attract hateful, self-loathing, judgemental people. Why? Because they don't like themselves and misery loves company.
I would also recommend just let people be themselves and you be yourself around them. That will tell you alot about who you are hanging out with. If you can't be yourself, you can't be real and if you can't be real, you need to run! The same goes for them, if they can't be real with you, they will have to run!
Good friendships or any kind of relationship begins with real people, living real life and experiencing real life - the good, the bad and the ugly. You will know you have a great group of friends if they stick with you through the good, the bad and the ugl - all the real stuff of life. Shallow people won't do that. They get bored, scared, lose interest or you no longer serve their interest or purpose. Not the kind of people I want to be around. How about you?
You become like the ones closest to you. Make sure you have surrounded yourself with real people who love the real you, regardless. If they can't handle the real you, run away, run very far away, fast!!
Keeping it real,
Elizabeth