Your uplifting friends contribute to your well being, success and happiness. Unfortunately, your negative, depleting, energy-draining friends do not. There are friends who motivate and believe in you. You feel energized, joyful and confident after spending a day with them. You can easily share your dreams and goals and they say, "Go for it!"

On the other hand, there are friends who do not contribute to your life force energy. They are generally negative, constantly complain and do not ask you about you. If you share your ideas with them, they can be jealous of your positive energy and enthusiasm. They may send out energy daggers causing you self-doubt, exhaustion or depression. To feng shui your friends, you must "cut the cord" (see page 52 of Feng Shui Your Life) from these "energy vampires" because they will suck the life out of you.

If you find that you are continually depleted, you may have to consider releasing these people from your daily life. Your life energy is precious and must be protected. Positive people and situations give you energy interest; the negative ones place you in energetic debt.  Keeping good company increases your overall health and success. Don't let negative folks bring you down. Apply the concept of spring-cleaning to the people and situations that do not encourage you to live with enthusiasm. Just like objects in your environment, your friends either nourish or deplete you.

On a daily basis, you must ask yourself where the majority of your energy is going. Are you putting your energy into people who give back? If not, think about what is keeping you hooked in. Do you stay friends out of guilt? Why do you tolerate their antics? It's up to you to create a group of healthy people around you. Energy is contagious. The happier and more positive your friends, the more their energy will rub off on you.

In fact, when you are open to creating new friends with like minds and energy, you are generously rewarded. Every day, you make dozens of connections with people in the market, gas station, coffee shop or simply taking a walk with your dog. One of these people may be your next best friend, business partner or lover. Heed the wise words of Indira Gandhi. She said, "You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist."

When you are open, smiling and complimentary, you never know how that energy will come back to you. Also, when you "make someone's day" with your kindness, there is a ripple effect. Their happiness can affect how they interact with their co-workers, spouses and families. In these instances, you are creating very good karma. Spreading seeds of happiness and loving kindness in the world is attractive and beneficial to everyone, especially you!

“My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me.” – Henry Ford

image via flickr/freeparking