Forming friendships is only natural. We are social beings, and we want to be around others. This is why friends are so important, but also why they can be so dangerous. Our desire to have friends can sometimes outweigh our better judgement. We make rash decisions and then must suffer the consequences from those decisions. Friends have a lot of power over how we act and how we think, and this is exactly why we must be so careful with whom we accept as close friends.
I am confident in saying that everyone has been introduced to something new by one of his or her friends. Just think of the music you listen to. I know most of the music I listen to I did not discover on my own but rather through my friends, and I bet it is the same for you. There is nothing wrong with friends introducing you to new books, movies, music, or types of food. These are all part of the positive aspects of friendship and maturing. The problem begins when we become friends with people who bring negative influences into our life. Because we consider them friends, their opinions have more value and as a result are more likely to sway us. We rationalize making bad decisions by saying we are just being a good friend.
My honest advice, and something many do not want to hear, is that there are going to be people you consider friends that you are better off cutting out of your life. It is hard to hear and it is hard to accept, because we do not want to abandon anyone we consider a friend. Nevertheless, if we want to become the best person we can be it is imperative that we provide the best environment for ourselves to grow in. This includes removing negative influences out of our lives. I am not saying you should just abandon anyone who does anything you don’t like. The best way, in my opinion, is to be open enough with your friends to say if you strongly disagree with something they do, and explain how it is affecting you. Be open and honest with them and encourage them to do the same. From there you can make the decision of whether that person is a positive or negative influence on your life.
Friendship is a truly beautiful thing, but only when it is making everyone involved better people. So I leave you with this thought; surround yourself with those whom you wish to be like, and some of their positive attitudes and habits will rub off on you. If I wanted to become good at baseball, and I would surround myself with people who were good at baseball rather than those who would encourage me to quit, then of course I will become better. Well it works the exact same way with becoming a better person. You have the choice of who you become friends with, so choose wisely. It will influence you more than you may think.
