I’ve always been fascinated with people. I love people and I am a people person!
Okay, way too much ‘people’ in that one sentence.
One of the best ways I’ve built my businesses is through collaborating with the right individuals who see eye to eye on the overall goal and vision. What the best collaborations and connections are made of. Like-mindedness, right?
We go through life assuming that the very people we know, like and trust will be there with us until the end, but that’s not always the case. 
For a few years of my life, I collaborated with a good friend of mine on various projects because our values and vision aligned so well. We launched some brilliant ideas together and had fun in the process.
As our work continued, he got busier, found the love of his life, and we started to drift, which is only natural. What went from us chatting weekly about our next big plan came to a halt and instead of talking to him about our upcoming ideas, when I called his phone, his girlfriend called me back instead to speak on his behalf. Odd as my relationship wasn’t with her, but with him. Trust me. I get it. It’s a ‘keep your friends close and your enemies closer’ scenario, but what she failed to realize was that I wasn’t the enemy. I genuinely cared for and respected them both.
Over time, our friendship diminished and we went our separate ways and the ideas we started together, I eventually took on solo. Of course, it saddens me as we shared some good laughs and got each other through some dark moments, but what makes me even sadder is that the guy I knew was no longer the guy I knew. Somehow in this new romantic relationship he found himself in, he lost himself completely and it wasn’t just me who shared this, but mutual friends of ours echoed the same response.
He lost the very essence that made him him. That’s exactly when I knew our season of friendship ended and I let him go.
The moral of this story?
People will come into your life at any given moment. It could be for a single season or an entire lifetime. You should never have to change the very things that make you uniquely you for anyone, even if it is your significant other. We are all our own person.
Don’t ever lose your voice or your individuality. It makes you uniquely YOU.
Rule of Life Lesson #108:
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