It's said we are like five or so of those we spend our time with. Usually people tend to flock together who share personality traits. So often we don't choose our five-it's not a conscience choice as self help books say it should be. As it probably should be. Yes, #1 surround yourself with postive people it's said. But that can turn into a disaster when a group of positive people will not recieve doses of the reality we all must face.
Positive living is not always what another group sees as positive. My positive living may not be what you say positive living is. My positive living may be listening to my doctor, not surrounding myself with gossiping, not surrounding myself with people who use me, or are selfish, loving being an aunt, have a ready smile-not a smirk, helping others, a genuine empathy toward others, regret, the type to make me better, Faith, craving to hear "well done my good and faithful servant", not leading or encouraging people into behaviours which harm others emotionally or physically. I fail at living as I want. But I want people arround me to keep me in check. Those would be my five to choose. Five who do not encourage selfishness which cuts them from lives of others.
I do not believe we can keep up living everyday as if it's your last. (Whew, how exhausting!) Those who do often have an earlier demise in their lives, and I'm not just speaking of losing life. Living that life consumes a person and becomes a more selfish habit than any they have had, ever. Life is all about that person and what they need. In the end those who truly love you are spent and those who've gravitated toward you leave because your true nature is now roadblock to theirs. Friends leave and gravitate to new groups to satisfy their own need of selfishness you can no longer provide.
Life cannot be spent loving yourself or walking over others to achieve that end. Reality will hit one day whether you're running or not.... God will bring life's reality to your doorstep.
*excerpt from an very old blog post of mine....