True Loyalty

True Loyalty(ˈloiəltē)

By Steve Pavlina

Positive relationships| are growing relationships.

A positive relationship| is a delicate(ˈdelikət) balance of someone| who accepts you as you are| yet also recognizes your potential| to keep growing. A positive relationship| makes it hard for you to settle(ˈsetl). It lets you feel loved| and accepted, but it makes it difficult for you| to be too complacent(kəmˈplāsənt). When you stagnate(ˈstagˌnāt), you can feel the strain(strān) it creates in your positive relationships, but your negative relationships| have no trouble with your stagnation.

Positive relationships are available(əˈvāləbəl)| and abundant(əˈbəndənt). They’re yours to enjoy. Commit yourself to a path of growth, and take action on it each day. Push yourself, and don’t settle. Positive people will recognize you as a kindred(ˈkindrid) spirit(ˈspirit)| and befriend(bəˈfrend) you. Negative people| will push you away| because you’re a threat(THret)| to their stagnation.

You don’t even have to deliberately(dəˈlib(ə)rətlē) cut ties with negative people. Just be unwaveringly(ˌənˈwāv(ə)riNG) committed| to your own path of growth, and hold them fully responsible| for their own results in life. When they vent(vent) excessively(əkˈsesivlē) at you, call them out for it; hold them responsible| and tell them to stop whining((h)wīn) so much. You will disgust them in short order, and they’ll very likely feel compelled(kəmˈpel) to dump you in short order.

Commit to no longer using relationships with negative people to slow yourself down. This behavior is beneath(bəˈnēTH) you. You have better things to do with your life.

If you cocoon(kəˈko͞on) yourself in a bubble(ˈbəbəl) of denial(dəˈnīəl), your negative relationships| will surely(ˈSHo͝orlē) permit(ˈpərmit) it. But you’re only making yourself look ridiculous(rəˈdikyələs) to the positive people in your life — if there are any left.

Being loyal(ˈloiəl) to negative relationships| is being disloyal to courage. Disloyal to growth. Disloyal to your path with a heart.

Drop the ridiculous belief| that you’re somehow being a loyal friend| when you serve as someone’s go-to outlet for whining. That isn’t loyalty. It’s disloyalty to that which genuinely(ˈjenyo͞oənlē) deserves(dəˈzərv) your enduring(enˈd(y)o͝oriNG) faithfulness(ˈfāTHfəlnəs) and steadfastness(ˈstedˌfast).

Be loyal to courage. Be loyal to the greatness within you. Be loyal to your path of growth. Challenge and invite(inˈvīt) your once negative relationships to join you in this exciting adventure(adˈvenCHər,əd-).

https://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2014/11/true-loyalty/