Your Tribe

I read somewhere (probably pinterest) that we are the average of the 5 people we spend the most time with.  Think about your relationships.  They greatly affect how you think of the world, of yourself, the decisions you make in life, whether or not you realize it.  

Take inventory of the people around you.  Do they motivate and inspire you?  Do they encourage you?  Can you learn something from them?  Do they make you feel good about yourself?  Surround yourself with those kinds of people who will lift you up and make you better.  Sometimes its so easy to just stick to what you know or what you're comfortable with, but its not necessarily the most healthy for you.  This being said, this doesn't mean surround yourself with people who just yes you all the time.  You want people around you who have your best interests at heart and won't be scared to tell you you're wrong if you are.  

I'm a stay at home mom.  And I've moved around a lot in the past few years so making new friends has been tough to say the least.  If you don't have co-workers or if you didn't go to school in the area you live, its tough to get "in" with people.  I've put myself out there to meet people and build my tribe.  It's still a work in progress but I'm so grateful for my friends/family and people who support me and my happiness.  My tribe doesn't consist of mini-me's and people who share my every interest. Although in the beginning I honestly thought that's what I needed.  I didn't know any better so I was always on the hunt for the "perfect" friend.  But now I realize, it's the sum of those parts that makes my tribe whole.  I have my mommy friends who get it when I'm having a nervous breakdown because my kids are throwing tantrums, I have my childhood friends who I don't talk to everyday but when we do catch up, its as if there never was a break, I have my type A friends who keep me in check (because I'm so not type A) who make sure i follow through with what I say I will do, I have my workout buddies who keep me motivated, I have my fashion friends who love going to events and love hunting for deals like me.  None of them are exactly the same, yet they all feed into my soul and help me be a better person.  Getting to this point took a lot of trial and error.  There are some people that you open your heart to and let you down in the end.  And yes its hurts, but you know what?  Good riddance.  They make you even more grateful for the people in your life that do inspire you.  

Surround yourself with happiness.  Life is too short for any negativity.  Grow with your tribe. And be sure to thank them and let them know how important they are to you. 

Love, Karen