Dime con quién andas…

Latin people love their “dichos”, those sayings that seem to be carried from generation to generation and even though many times they seem funny or make no sense, they carry so much truth. If you come from a Latino background, when you hear a “dicho o refrán” you may feel transported back in time and remember your abuelita smiling as she would share her wisdom. Dime con quién andas y te diré quién eres is one of those sayings. (Tell me who you are hanging around and I will tell you who you are). This one may be a favorite saying of a mom to her teenager, trying to tell him or her the importance of choosing good company, but let’s apply it to ourselves right now, whatever age or life situation we are in because who you and I  hang around matters.  

We can choose our friendships at any age. In our present, the people we choose to invest our time with are a key part of who we are because whether we realize it or not they have a great impact on our lives, negative or positive.  

Sometimes we give too much power to “others”, whatever or whoever “others” happen to be. But the more you know yourself - what you need, what you want and what you can give the people around you- the better decisions you make regarding your company. When you value yourself, you value your time and who you invest it in. Your happiness doesn’t depend on hanging around a group of friends or a certain person, but you can be affected by the people you spend time with so why not ask yourself some questions such as: 

What are you looking for in a friendship? 

• What qualities do you admire in others? 

• What do you enjoy doing? 

• How often would you like to see your friends? 

• How often would you like to be alone and spend quality time on your own? 

• Can your friends understand that you need your time? 

• Do you have a friend you can call at any time and share what you are going through? 

• Do you have someone you can trust and go to without feeling judged? 

• How are you adding value to your friendships? Are you your best friend? 

Take some time to think about the people you are surrounding yourself with. Take the time to think about your friendships and remember how important it is to surround yourself with people who add value to your life, and make sure you are adding to their lives too because that is what life is about, sharing and encouraging each other along the journey. Community is a precious gift. 

Manuelita