Lately, I have noticed something.
My circle is getting smaller.
Not because I care less.
Not because I am distant.
Not because I think I am better than anyone.
Because I am becoming more conscious.
More intentional with time.
More careful with energy.
More honest about priorities.
They say it is “quality over quantity.”
I think of it as awareness.
When you grow older, you realize
you cannot carry everyone with you.
And you should not try to.
Who you spend time with
slowly shapes who you become.
Their habits.
Their thinking.
Their standards.
Their excuses.
All of it transfers.
If you surround yourself with confident people,
confidence becomes normal.
If you surround yourself with disciplined people,
discipline becomes natural.
If you surround yourself with dreamers who act,
action becomes expected.
And if you surround yourself with people who complain,
settle, and stagnate,
that becomes normal too.
It is not arrogance to choose your circle.
It is responsibility.
A good circle challenges you.
Not with pressure,
but with example.
They raise your standards
without saying a word.
They call you out
when you are getting comfortable.
They remind you
who you said you wanted to become.
There is no faster way to grow
than to stay close to people
who are already living at a higher level.
Not higher in money.
Higher in character.
Higher in discipline.
Higher in integrity.
Find those people.
The ones who make you sharper just by being around them.
Because over time,
you become a reflection of your environment.
Their mindset becomes familiar.
Their habits become yours.
Their expectations become your baseline.
When you elevate your circle,
your life follows.
And when your circle gets smaller,
but stronger,
that is not loss.
That is progress.