Cultivate good company

A man is known by the company he keeps, goes a saying. And indeed it is very true. People recognise us and label us based on the type of people whom we move around with. We also tend to develop our interests and preferences based on the friend circle. Therefore, our Seers have advised us to keep good company (Satsang) i.e. People who harbour good thoughts and intentions and people who are pious and spend their time doing useful things. In such company, our minds get moulded and shaped in the right direction. We tend to pick up similar habits and characteristics. And this takes us on an upward spiral.

On the contrary, if we have friends who have perverse interests or negative traits, we also go on a downward spiral. Unknowingly, we start thinking negative and developing pleasures from doing things which harm us or others around us. Good people start shunning us and we attract similar minded people.

We should always be conscious on the company we keep. We should take extra efforts to cultivate friendship with positive people and put all efforts to avoid such people who are negative. From time to time, we should take an inventory of our friend circle and assess whether we are on the right path and do course correction, where required.

Do not let things like loyalty and commitment come in the way of your progress. Do not let people who seem to be fun but are otherwise harmful (to you, themselves or others around) to be part of your friend circle. Find reasons to stay away from such people. In the event, circumstances prevent you from shunning them; try to influence them to be better rather than succumbing yourself.

By doing thus, you will start seeing a positive impact on your life.