A Year of Reflection and the Decision to Choose Better Friends

The year is coming to an end, and I'm super grateful for how far it has gone, although there have been some setbacks, but beyond that the blessings have been enormous, so as the new year approaches, I can't help but reflect on how this year went and notice that I need to initiate some change in my life so that I can have a better year in 2026 than I had in this outgoing year. One of those things that definitely needs to change in this coming year is the area of my circle of friends, and I'll be explaining the reason behind that below.

It's not like I've got leagues of terrible or bad friends; the thing is just that there are some who I might have outgrown the way they think or see life, and if I care for myself and really want growth, then I must be ready to let go of them. The importance of friends can't be overemphasized, and that's why we must make sure we surround ourselves with the right circle of friends, because doing so means we'll have a better life, get the best advice, and rest assured that we're not being led astray by our friends' lack of competency and caution of not doing wrong things.

Earlier this year, I remember talking about a friend of mine who was into betting and won a huge amount of money via it. Due to his winnings, I quickly forgot about my vow never to bet again, as I also want to win big so I can win such an amount of money and use it to fulfill some of my desires for the year. For that reason I began to punch a few amounts here and there into my betting account, staking with the hope to win big; unfortunately that never showed forth. To be fair, I did win some amount, but I lost more, and this really annoys me when I realize I've broken my vow out of my greed. I realize I actually need to put some distance between myself and this friend for me to avoid going back on my words.

Another reason why I needed to change my circle of friends is because some of the friends I surrounded myself with where I live actually did something that broke my spirits this year, and for that reason I think I need to surround myself with a better circle that'll inspire me and make me whole. What was meant by them breaking my spirits was that I had this wonderful business idea that would have elevated my financial status, and I thought, "I can't do it by myself," so I started with them, but they ridiculed the idea, which made me lose the zeal to do it. To make matters worse, one of them was seen working on the same idea they talked me out of doing.

So with that being realized, I think I deserve better, and to realize this, I will be working towards upgrading my circle of friends to one that's positive-minded, cares for one another's growth, and much more, to name but a few.

All photos are taken and edited on canva.