Elevated Content...

I was listening to a podcast this morning on my overly aggressive walk (got lots of sleep) and the guy who is now a very successful entrepreneur with a lot of road rash says, "If it makes you uncomfortable to please a person in your life, maybe that person shouldn't be a part of it." Or something close to that.

It's simple but it's hard. Pleasing someone should be joyful and for the right reason. Being a people pleaser because you think you must (to gain their love, friendship, promotion - fill in the blank), is exhausting and a one-way street.

But we may have experiences in our past that led us to believe that someone would like us more, accept us more, if we just tried harder to please them or be enough for them. I know I can think of a few times where I would give anything for that friendship only to sacrifice my own values in the process. So, I would try harder. And I would try again. And it was still the same. Ultimately, I realized that wasn't the right person for me.

Think about it. Those times when you are pleasing another, and it doesn't even feel like it. It's easy, it's fun and the effort it takes seems minimal, even if it isn't. Everyone looks negatively on being a "people pleaser" but in reality, it is only negative if you are doing it for the wrong reasons for the wrong person.

Does this mean that you don't try and make someone's life a little brighter? A little lighter? Nope. It just means as they say, you can't fill someone's bucket if yours is bone dry. Relationships are reciprocal. And even when the scales are tipped for long periods of time, you know this person is worth it, that intrinsically, the right thing is the right thing, and they are the right person in your life.

Surround yourselves this week with those that lift you up and appreciate you, the right people. Your energy is precious and those that share in that way of thinking will give you just as much back or more. Think about the company you are keeping. If it isn't an energy that expounds upon itself, fueled by the energy of elevating those around you and in return, elevating yourself, it's ok to let go.

For others, be your best self, your fulfilled self, your positive energy and elevated self and be the example and the magnet for what you want in your life.

Hug your puppy (or insert anything that loves you unconditionally) and go forth knowing that you deserve just that and so do the people around you.