I feel sorry for Kamila Valieva. Judge me for that if you like, but I am. I hate that she’s fucked, all because she listened to the “wrong” adults in her life.
Of course she’s fifteen. It’s not her fault. How could she have known better? (Please, I know she was fifteen and I’m guessing she did kind of know, but she still has a fifteen year old brain and she absolutely trusted her trainers, why wouldn’t she?)
But, in a sense, it doesn’t matter.
She’s still screwed. The rest of the skating world is furious.
Still, she’s a child.
We’re adults. And we need to watch out who we choose to keep in our lives. The friends you keep near you. Perhaps the friends you think you can trust implicitly because they are older and wiser? They influence your life as you move forward. I promise that the ones to whom you choose to listen can change your life.
I’ve seen it time and time again.
When someone makes the “wrong” choice. People who would rather pull someone down to their level, than help them build up to their potential.
I am happy if you’re doing just fine, regardless of who is near you. If so, kudos. But I’ve come to learn this:
Those we keep nearest to us, the ones we confide in, listen to, take advice from? Makes all the difference in the quality, and perhaps even the happiness, of the life we lead.
For anyone who likes, here’s a fairly surefire test:
- Am I living the very best life possible to me? (i.e. discounting prejudice, racism, etc.)
- If I am not, could I change that if I had access to unlimited money?
If the answer to 1 is “Yes,” OR the answer to 1 would be “Yes” if the answer to number 2 was “Yes,” you’re probably choosing wisely. If not, perhaps think through who you choose to keep near you.
That’s all.