Do you remember your mother telling you "birds of a feather, flock together!"? She was right!

"Research confirms - and quantifies - it. Your chances of becoming happy increase by at least 15 percent if someone in your immediate social circle is happy." - Dr. Mehmet Oz

You know that you are responsible for your own happiness. You also know that you must surround yourself with positive, up-lifting, happy people in order to reach your goals and/or to make a difference in life. Yet, the world is filled with people who are going around feeling mean, tired and ugly. Well, I have news for you.

Some people aren't good for you! Let me repeat that - some people aren't good for you!

You need to get them out of your life. Let them form their own club!
Easy for her to say, you're thinking. Well, I had a fair number of negative and toxic people in my life, and for many years. I can tell you, quite honestly, that is why:

* I was NOT happy.
* I did not achieve many of my goals.
* I lived 'small'.
* I was a 'people pleaser'.
* I had low self-esteem in some areas of my life.

I take full responsibility for the fact that my life went the way it did. Did I know, along the way, that I should have made some changes earlier? YES! But, like you, the 'ya buts' got in the way. Typically, there will be a life-changing moment when you make the decision to get some people out of your life. That's what happened for me. I made significant changes and I do not look back. Were there any 'ya buts'? Of course, there were. But I know the tools and techniques to use to get off the but's!

One of the things you can do, which I also did, is to surround yourself with positive and happy people. I did have a wonderful group of friends in Edmonton - we were referred to as "Earl's Girls" . These people were always there for me, no matter what.

It continues to amaze me just how many people DO go through life being miserable. It's almost like it's their mission on earth. Well, just get away from me!

When I was on my world tour, one of my observations (in Cambodia, in India, in Africa) was that the people there were very happy. I had the privilege, and the pleasure, of spending some time with families in the Masai Mara reserve in Africa. They were very happy with their lives - yet, by our standards, they had very little. It was life-changing for me to hear the joy and laughter in the villages in Cambodia, in particular.

What about you? Who are you spending time with? How is that affecting your life?

Author's Bio: 

Pat Mussieux is an expert coach on mind-set and goal-setting techniques, helping female baby-boomers add more happiness to their daily lives. To get your free CD: "The 10 Steps2Happiness", visit http://www.steps2happiness.com