As the end of 2016 approaches, it has allowed me to reflect on the past year, especially the people I've met that have shaped me to become who I am at this time, the memories we've built and the lessons that I've learned along the way.

This upcoming year fills my mind with an abundance of possibilities, and with that comes one of the most difficult decisions that I have had to make.

In any type of relationship, it is important to surround ourselves with people that we value and want to grow with as a person.

As time passes, we grow, we change and sometimes.. we can grow apart. That is okay.

I made a choice. A choice to add more effort and time to build the relationships that matter to me, as well as to subtract myself from relationships and situations that have torn me down rather than built me up.

You have a choice. Whether you realize it or not, you make that choice every time you take time out of your day to text, call or hang out with a person.

You decide who’s worth keeping in your life and who’s not. Ultimately, it signifies a choice on whether or not a relationship is worth keeping. It's not a decision that comes lightly- there are many considerations.

Remember that you are who you surround yourself with. You unconsciously develop their habits and qualities- good and bad. You decide if their good qualities outweigh the bad. You decide if your relationship is worth it.

Ask yourself these questions. They will ultimately help you figure out who's worth investing your time into a relationship.

1. When you think about now and the future, and of who from your friends you want to keep in your life- who's on your list? Are there individuals that barely make the cut?
   
2. If they are on your list, it doesn't hurt to remember why you seamlessly connected with one another in the first place. Why do you like having them as your friend? What memories and feelings do you associate with them? Do they help you become a better person? Do they add value to your life?
   
3. If they are not on your list, do you really value this relationship? Have they torn you down rather than build you up? Have you grown apart rather than grown together? Is this relationship one worth keeping?

If you realize that this relationship is one that you can't imagine not having in your life- hold on to them, cherish them and let them know that you value them. Exert effort, don't be lazy.

However, if you realize that you mutually do not value one another- subtract them from your life. No one has enough hours in the day, no one has the energy to waste on someone that will not reciprocate.

If you come to that crossroad- remember that friends are easy to make, but even better friends are harder to find. With any relationship, it requires effort from both parties. You both have to want to make it work. It won't come easy- anything worth keeping never does.