i'm a little late on this one, but it's still Monday and that's all that matters.

i've been thinking lately about who we surround ourselves with. positive energy radiates from not only within, but from those around you. over the years i've narrowed down my close group of friends, sticking with those that have not only seen me at my best, but at my worst.

i can be very pessimistic and cynical at times, overdramatic as well, but that's when my friends come in and snap me out of it. they uplift me and try to see where i'm coming from. i've realized that you shouldn't want people who instantly agree with you. you should have friends who question your train of thought and motives. they should make you see both sides of the situation- not just yours.

as we become older, everyone seems to be on this daily routine of work, come home, eat, sleep, repeat. the weekend is the time to sleep in, exercise, run errands, see family, and occasionally hang out with friends.

gradually though, that last point has become more prominent in my life. i think it's so important to hang out with friends, especially while we're young. we should be making travel plans and scheduling our next trips. we should check out that new coffee shop we heard about or grab some dinner after work.

make sure you have those people around you who are open to new things, who push you, and themselves, to not only experience what's directly in front of them but what's around them. like that famous saying goes, "if not now, then when?"

when you have friends like this, those that inspire and radiate positivity, you tend to feed off of that as well; in turn, you garner some of this same energy; and who doesn't want more happiness in their life?

with the new year right around the corner, i want to fully take advantage of these opportunities with my close group of friends. they are not the best at coordinating but i might just have to give them a little push. it's always nice to catch up in person, not just through text messages or group chats.

i want to go back in time when people still called each other instead of text. i want written letters and mailed postcards.

if you change your lifestyle to solely focus on those who love and cherish you, friends who are more worried about living their lives than seeing others through social media, i think we can construct our own perfectly, un-perfect utopia.