Relationship Philosophy for Prosperity

If you came up with an idea for a brilliant start-up venture that could become worth billions, and then told your friends and family about it, how do you think they would react?  The answer to that question might literally be worth a billion dollars to you... 

Would they jump on board, eager to help you bring this dream into fruition?  Or would they tell you it was naive or foolish, and start listing all of the reasons it won’t work?  The way in which they would respond leads us to part two of our series on the key philosophies that determine the level of prosperity you manifest in your life. Specifically, your philosophy about relationships and the people in your life.  In case you’re just jumping in, here’s the premise we’re operating on:

There are seven major, life-defining philosophies you develop about prosperity – these 7 philosophies determine your worldview – and this resulting worldview regulates the level of prosperity you will experience.   

The 7 areas of life-determining philosophies are:

1. Health (Part 1)
2. Relationships
3. Environment
4. Leverage
5. Spirituality
6. Financial
7. Purpose

The reason your personal philosophy around relationships is so critical is because we’re talking about the people you share your life with.  I posed the question about the billion-dollar idea above because it speaks to the environment created around you by the people you associate with.  Not just your spouse and your immediate family, but your extended family, the colleagues you work with, and the friends you spend the most time with.  Especially your “inner circle” people who influence you the most.  (And I would be remiss if I would leave out our furry, feathered, or scaly friends – our pets and the animals we commune with.) 

• Most of us surround ourselves with people who encourage us to stay the way we are.  They like you the way you are and want to keep you that way. 

• Some of us surround ourselves with people who actually hold us back.  They may do this consciously or unknowingly, but their petty jealousies and fears cause them to sabotage you, or even mentally or physically abuse you. (The abusive type of situation is beyond my ability to help you, so if you’re in one like this, please seek a mental health counseling organization in your area.) 

• A smaller group of people surround themselves with people who challenge them in a positive way.  These people see a higher vision of you and inspire you to seek it. 

The vast majority of people in the world today never ever think about these distinctions; they let relationships “happen” to them.  You will manifest abundant prosperity when your philosophy about relationships causes you to mindfully think about these three options above and choose the third one.  Sometimes you need to practice addition by subtraction.  Other times you may have no choice to be in relationship with another, so you have to mindfully ration the time you spend with them.

The difference between healthy, nurturing relationships and toxic, dysfunctional ones makes a massive shift in your mental health, harmony, and overall prosperity.  Your connection to those around you – whether they build you up or tear you down, and whether or not they bring you peace, joy, and harmony – will impact every area of your life: health, career, family, and spiritual.

To manifest a prosperous life – you must love and appreciate yourself enough to demand relationships that enrich your life – and refuse to remain in poisonous ones.  Anyone that suggests you should remain in a toxic relationship is toxic. (This includes people and also institutions like religions.) They don’t have your highest good at heart and should be treated as a threat to your prosperity. (For more on this, see Beware of the Soul Crushers.)  

The people in your life and how you relate to them factor greatly into the third area of philosophy we will explore in the next post: your surrounding locale and environment.  Until then, please share your thoughts below.

Peace,

- RG