How to Handle Haters

[Miss Mac 6,261]

I came across this from Dave at Paleohacks.com It is good encouragement for when you are faced with negative and unsupportive people in your life. The story has some great analigies.

Hey there!

Today I want to share with you a fantastic story and some amazing life advice from a mentor of mine that's helped me in my journey to not only become a healthier person, but a happier & more successful one as well.

And it comes in the form of a story of a trip to Alaska...

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"How To Remove CRABS From Your Life"

By Bedros Keuilian

Several years ago while on an adventure trip to Alaska I experienced what I can only call one of life's greatest lessons.

Like all great lessons in life, it came unexpected and it came to me exactly at the time when I needed it the most.

While taking a walk along the shoreline in Ketchikan, Alaska I noticed several crab fisherman casting their nets, waiting a few moments, and the pulling in couple crabs at a time.

One fisherman had a bucketful of five or six crabs in it. It was probably one of those five gallon paint buckets that you'd find at the local Home Depot.

There was several inches of Water at the bottom of the bucket and these crabs - some the size of my palm, and others the size of Shaquille O'neal's.

As I stood there watching how this crab fisherman went about his trade I noticed that one of his crabs from the bucket was climbing on top of the rest.

I couldn't really make out exactly what the crab was up to just yet, but I could tell this one was the more ambitious crabs of the bunch.

But I soon figured out exactly what he was up to.

This little ambitious crab was attempting to make a getaway!

He was climbing on top of the others to gain height, then he slowly extend him front legs upward toward the lip of the bucket to pull himself up.

HOLY COW!... this little guy was trying to make a break for it. FREEDOM!

More out of curiosity than anything else I asked the crab fisherman if he was aware that this crab was about to hoist himself up and over the edge of the bucket.

He calmly said; "watch what happens."

As this ambitious crab started pulling himself up to get over the edge of the bucket, all of the other crabs reached up, grabbed his hind legs and pulled him down to the bottom of the bucket.

LIFE LESSON!

I instantly realized that I had made one of the dumbest mistakes of my life. Earlier that year I had figured out that a few of the people in my life were negative minded individuals who always found a way to squash my dreams each time I'd share it with them.

Yet I continued to hang out with them, I kept them in my circle of influence, and shared my most lofty goals with them - only to have my ambitions squashed by their negativity, doubt, and scarcity mindedness.

I wanted so badly to soar with the eagles, yet I was hanging out with turkeys.

I suppose it was just comfortable to be around the people I knew, even if they did stunt my personal and professional growth, rather than to find a new circle of influence who would support me, challenge me, and encourage me to achieve and surpass my goals.

Fear of the unknown stopped me from achieving my dreams sooner.

But things changed for me after that day in Ketchikan, Alaska.

When I got back home I committed to creating my "bubble" and cutting out all of the crabs and turkeys in my life.

I become the gatekeeper of my bubble. I chose who got in and who got kicked out.

It wasn't easy to do, but I cut ties with the crabs in my life.

No more crabs, no more turkeys... ONLY eagles are allowed into my bubble these days.

We've all heard the saying... you are the average of the five people who you surround yourself with the most.

But you can also say it this way; your head space, your personal development, your attitude, your contribution to society, your personal and spiritual growth in life are all an average of the five people that you surround yourself the most.

If the people in your circle of influence are crabs, energy vampires, and low tone then that's the effect that they're going to have on your life.

If the people in your circle are positive, encourage you, support you, inspire you, then there is absolutely no limits on what you can achieve - really.

That's what I want for you.

You're an eagle, but you'll never soar as high as you can if you hang around with turkeys and crabs.

Put yourself around the people who will support, encourage and challenge you to get to your goals.

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I NEVER had more opposition in my life than when I became an entrepreneur, switched to Paleo, and started taking care of my health.

It quickly became very clear to me who were REALLY my friends and supporters, and who just wanted me to stay the same -- so that THEY could be comfortable with their own failings and insecurities.

You better believe those people are no longer a part of my life.

And I am a MUCH better, happier, less-stressed person for it.

And if you have people like that in your life, that are draining you, holding you back, then one of the most important things you can do is remove them - immediately.

This life is not a test run - there are no redos. Every second you spend wasted with negative people is one that you will NEVER get back.

Remember that!

And think about replacing those negative people with ones who actually inspire and support you -- starting TODAY.

Talk soon,

Dave

[RayJunCayJun 41]

Thanks for posting, very good read!

[LivingFree! 478]

The power of positive thinking and "being!"

[BellaHugz 331]

@@MissMac thanks for sharing this.. luv the site too!