Upgrade Your Circle, Elevate Your Life

Your circle determines your ceiling. This powerful truth sits at the heart of personal transformation, yet many of us overlook how profoundly our peer groups shape our potential.

Diving into fascinating research, we discover that our friends' influence extends far beyond casual interactions—Harvard studies show that if your close friends become obese, your own risk increases by 57%, while other research reveals that surrounding yourself with happy people can boost your happiness by 25%. These aren't just statistics; they're wake-up calls to be intentional about who occupies your inner circle.

The right people in your life should challenge you to step beyond comfort zones, genuinely believe in your wildest dreams, inspire you through their actions, provide loving accountability, and—perhaps most importantly—celebrate your authentic self without asking you to shrink or wear masks. But finding these connections requires courage and clarity. Sometimes your personal growth means outgrowing certain relationships, and that's perfectly okay. As we explore in this episode, some friendships are seasonal, and divine connections often appear exactly when you need them.

For those ready to elevate their peer group, we offer practical pathways: faith-based communities, mastermind groups, personal development events, and purposeful networking. These environments connect you with like-minded individuals who share your commitment to growth. We also recommend transformative books like "Who Not How" by Dan Sullivan and "Atomic Habits" by James Clear that illuminate the power of collaboration and consistent improvement.

The question that can transform your life is simple yet profound: "Are the people in my life helping me step into my best self?" If not, it's time to make shifts. Remember, God has placed specific people in your path for a reason—pay attention to these divine connections and watch how they elevate every aspect of your existence. Your breakthrough might be just one relationship away.

Chapters

• 0:57 Welcome to Mindset Monday
• 1:45 Why Your Peer Group Matters
• 3:39 Five Reasons to Find New Peers
• 6:51 Five Lessons About Growth and Relationships
• 10:47 Ways to Find Your Growth Community
• 12:59 Recommended Books for Personal Development
• 14:31 Closing Thoughts and Call to Action

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:29

Hey, beautiful souls, welcome back to another Mindset Monday on. Unleash your Inner Radiance. I'm Lisa, your Catalyst, life, wellness and Transformation Coach, and today we are diving into something that can truly change your life finding the right people and upgrading your peer group. If you ever felt stuck, held back or just not growing the way you want to, this episode's for you. We're talking about the people around you who influence your mindset, your dreams and, ultimately, your future. So grab a cup of coffee or, if you're like me, something stronger. Oh, just kidding, it is Monday morning and we're not going to do that. So, anyway, let's dive in why your peer groups matter.

Speaker 1: 1:19

You've probably heard this before. You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. Jim Rohn said it first and let me tell you said it first and let me tell you science packs it up. Studies show that behaviors, habits and even financial status tend to align with the people you surround yourself with. So if you want to grow, thrive and become the person God meant for you to be, you need to be intentional about who's in your circle. Here is some really fascinating research. A Harvard study on social networks found that if your close friends become obese. Your risk of obesity increases by 57%, even if they live far away. This just proves how much influence people have on our habits. Another study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that the happiness of the people around you affects your own happiness by up to 25%. So are you hanging around with happy people? So now, if this works for negative habits, imagine what it can do for you when you surround yourself with uplifting, goal-crushing, faith-driven people. That's the kind of energy shift we are aiming for today.

Speaker 1: 3:11

So five reasons why you should find a new peer group, one. They challenge you to be a better person. Growth happens outside your comfort zone, and the right people push you toward and forward instead of letting you stay in your safe place and letting you stay stagnant. So step out of your comfort zone. What, what action today can you do to put you in the direction of the life you want? That is gonna make you step out of your comfort zone. Whatever that is, do that today and come back and tell me how it went.

Speaker 1: 3:59

Two believe in your dreams. Have you ever shared a dream with someone, only to have them laugh and doubt you? Yeah, that's not really the vibe we want, is it. So find people that say, yes, yes, you can do this, yes, I believe in you, I believe in you. Three they inspire you through their own actions. So find a peer group of somebody who is doing the thing and copy them, because if they're doing it, it can be done. Right.

Speaker 1: 4:51

So be around people who are motivated, successful and God-led individuals, because they naturally raise your standards. Isn't that weird? That's weird, anyway, but just the people you're around, they just naturally raise your standard. Four they provide accountability. Accountability is key.

Speaker 1: 5:20

Sometimes we just need that friend who won't let us settle or quit on ourselves. Do you have that friend? If not, I'll be that friend. Five they support your authentic self. Right now, people wear a lot of masks, right, and I truly don't think people are who they actually are. And we want to be around the right group, because the right group isn't going to ask you to shrink or change to fit in. They're not going to ask you to put on a mask just to fit in with them, right. Instead, they will celebrate the real radiant you. So find that group. That's the group you need. You need.

Speaker 1: 6:23

So here let's go into like five lessons about peer groups and growth, because we want you to find the right friends, right. But one not everyone is meant to stay in your life forever. Some friendships are seasonal, and they're meant to be seasonal, and that's okay, because your growth often means outgrowing certain relationships. So maybe if you outgrew a relationship recently, it's because you're growing. Two your environment shapes your mindset. If you constantly hear negativity, doubt or gossip, it seeps into your own thinking. So choose wisely. I know I've asked you guys to send I mean this talks. This goes with what we say to ourselves in our brain too. Right, I mean, let's just go with that. But that's why I want you to keep a journal in your car when you're driving and if your mind goes to something, just jot it down, because we should be not saying mean things, right, and I know peers will be unsupportive sometimes too, which is why we're talking about getting them out of our lives. But we also need to get the negativity out of our brains, because the things we're saying to ourselves we would not say to our friends, or maybe we should say to our friends. Anyway, that's for a whole nother episode, but your mindset. This goes with people who support you and how you support yourself.

Speaker 1: 8:03

Three it is okay to walk alone for a while. It is. I did that in 2014-15. I just 16. I needed to be alone and away from friends, and that was okay, because finding the right tribe takes time. So don't rush into relationships that don't align with your vision. Do you even know what your vision is? Four God places people in your path for a reason you know. Sometimes you meet somebody and you're like why was I meant to meet that person? So pay attention to divine connections, because sometimes an unexpected encounter leads to a lifelong friendship or mentorship. I just met somebody. I got something from a retreat that I went right In my little goodie bag and I now have a new friend. Her name is Crystal. She's in New York. We just hit it off. Yes, it's only by chat, but still, why was she put in my world? Why? Why? You know it's just, it's just, I don't know, it's just weird.

Speaker 1: 9:33

Five energy is contagious, so you need to protect yours Right. The right peer group will energize you, not drain you. I have been in groups. People just drain and suck the life out of you so that you mask up and be what they want you to be. You don't need those kind of people, because if you feel exhausted after being with certain people. That's your cue to shift. That's your cue to find a new peer group. That's your cue to find a new group. So here are some ways if you need to find a new group that will help you grow, one you can get involved in faith-based communities Bible studies, church groups or faith-driven masterminds that connect you with like-minded people. They really do a good job at that. Or you can join a mastermind or coaching peer group. Just surround yourself with ambitious people who are committed to growth. That is really important.

Speaker 1: 10:57

Attend personal development events. I love to do this. Conferences, retreats or even online summits can introduce you to people that are on the same journey. And when I tell you, I love personal development, I didn't always. That is a journey I just really truly started on about seven years ago and really truly in the last four years. So I tend to conference because I tend to retreat. They're just fun and you just get to be yourself and you just get to be with people who are in the same mindset. I want you to network with purpose. So be intentional about where you spend your time and who you engage with. I love to go to conferences because I meet new people. I love to talk to people. I love to meet new people. Let go of fear and step into the rooms you deserve to be in. I want you to not let imposter syndrome keep you from elevating your life, because you're not an imposter. Be your authentic self.

Speaker 1: 12:31

If you want to dive deeper, here are some amazing books to check out the compound effect. By Darren Hardy um, this one is small changes, big results. Two is who, not how. By Dan Sullivan. This is the Power of Collaboration and this is the book if you are looking for reasons to meet people. This book is amazing. It actually explains why people were put in your life as you're moving through. It's really cool. Three Atomic Habits by James Clear Just this teaches you how to elevate your habits to match your new peer group. Five Love Language. Four is Five Love Languages of Friendship by Gary Chapman Love Languages of Friendship by Gary Chapman. He teaches you how to understand relationships better. And five is High Performance Habits Wow, I need some coffee. By Brendan Burchard yeah, he's Brendan Burchard, anyway. Well, that was a powerful conversation.

Speaker 1: 14:03

I hope this episode inspires you to take a look at who's in your life, to take a look at who your peer group is and to ask are they helping me step into my best self? That is the question for today, into my best self. That is the question for today For your peer group and your friends. Are they helping me step into my best self? If not, it's time to make some shifts. Remember, you are not stuck where you are. God has big plans for you and he often works through people he places in your lives. He often works through people he places in our lives. If you loved today's episode, make sure to subscribe, share and leave a review on Apple, please. I love reviews. I love reading your reviews. Please leave me a review and a comment and if you're looking for a community of like-minded driven women, come hang out with me on social media. I would absolutely love to connect. Until next time, keep shining, keep growing and keep stepping boldly into the life you are meant to live.