THE THREE FLOORS OF RELATIONSHIPS
The people you allow into your life determine how you go out in life. That is to say, the relationships that you develop have much to do with your personal development.
Allow me to propose a concept to you regarding the people you allow into the inner recesses of your life. I would contend that there are three basic categories of people who will have an effect on your life.
Type 1-Basement People-Basement people are of a kind who always see the dark side of everything. They continually propose the negative side to any situation. Sometimes it feels like they view complaining as a sport. They are the Eeyores of life and can’t seem to see the bright side of a 200-watt bulb. These types of people tend to drain the energy from you and if you spend an extended length of time with them you will feel the need to take an emotional shower. This type of person is important to have in your life because they will teach you to love someone when it is difficult to be exposed to them. The glass is not just half empty, they question why you need a glass in the first place-(just something else that has to be taken care of).
Type 2-Main Floor People-This group of people compose the majority of our friendships. They are just regular people who care about you and make it very easy for you to care about them. They don’t drain you but are actually refreshing when you spend time with them. They are there to support you and encourage you and are quick to jump in when you need help.
Type 3-Balcony People-Though they are rare, balcony people add excitement to your life. They are full of both energy and ideas and are quick to include you in everything. They tend to be overly positive and optimistic and live with a glass that is always overflowing. A word of caution is needed here. Because of their high energy and active lifestyle, you may find that keeping up with them can be draining as well. Still the balcony people are fun to have around and having them in your life tends to lift you up.
This identification calls for evaluation. What type of people do you have in your life? And for that matter, what category do you (and others) see yourself in? If you were to list all your closest friends, where would they land?
Sometimes it is quite helpful to monitor somewhat closely the types of people you spend time with as well as keeping track of how much time you spend with them. It might do you well to shuffle the deck now and then just to refresh yourself in the friendship environment.
As a side note, it might also be advised to evaluate yourself to see if you’re carrying too much of the basement attitude in your everyday interactions with people. It is possible to adjust your own personality in response to the relationships you have. Better still is to talk with someone you trust and get their reflections on what kind of an attitude you hold.
Notable Quotable: All friends push you farther, faster. The only question is, which direction are they pushing you? Stephen Blandino
Have a great day and fly high my friends!