Who are Your Lift People?

As I have been creating this book for my friend Maya, who graduated from high school last week, I thought about the words I could give her to guide her along her adventures. I wrote these words to encourage her to THINK about the people she allows into her world. It is a simple message:

Look to spend and invest your time with people who life you up, not tear you down or remind you of all your failures. Life is too short to hear over and over again about what you did or didn’t do ten years ago, who complain about your choices or even make you feel bad about yourself. It sounds harsh, yet it’s true. People who do not make you feel good about you are not worth spending your valuable time with…yes, I said it was harsh. If you have to see them, do it in small bits then go detox with your real friends.

Think back on all the people you have known in your life. The good, the bad and the ugly…you know what I mean. The ones you think about the most, the ones you miss and adore, the ones you can’t wait to see again. The ones who lifted you up every time you interacted with them are probably the ones you miss or want to spend time with the most. These are the people who we need to spend our time with. We only have so many hours, days, and years in this life. All that fleets away too quickly. So spend time – invest your time – in people who make you feel good about being you! The people who challenge you, call you on your bullsh**t, and who encourage you to be better today than you were last week. These are the true friends who will help you be a better human, a better you. THESE are the people who life you up, higher than you ever thought possible.

So, go find those people and spend some time with them this week. Have the courage to tell them how much they mean to you. For it is our friends that make life worth living, not our stuff. Who are your lift people??? Go find them, NOW!