They Look Right, But Are They Right for You?

Salt or Sugar? The People in Your Life Might Be Ruining Your Recipe

You ever put salt in your coffee thinking it was sugar? That one sip will humble you real quick. And yet, we do the same thing with people in our lives—we assume that just because they look right, they are right. But salt and sugar, though they may look the same, serve very different purposes. Some enhance, some ruin. And that’s a lesson we all need to learn when it comes to the roles we allow people to play in our lives.

Not Everyone Deserves a Starring Role

We’ve all been guilty of assigning the wrong people to important positions in our lives. Maybe it’s out of loyalty, habit, or straight-up wishful thinking. We convince ourselves that if we just give them time, if we just love them harder, they’ll grow into the role. Spoiler alert: they won’t. You can’t make salt sweet, and you can’t make the wrong person right for you just by keeping them around.

Some people aren’t meant to be in your circle, your business, your dreams, or your heart. And just because you want them to be doesn’t mean they should be. In fact, some of them are actively ruining the things you’re building, and you’re letting them, hoping they’ll change. But here’s the truth: you don’t have to carry people who were never meant to walk your journey.

The Same Goes for You

Just like some people don’t belong in your story, sometimes you are playing a role you were never meant to fill. Maybe you’re trying to fit into someone else’s expectations, altering yourself just to be accepted. But hear me loud and clear: you weren’t created to be a knockoff version of someone else’s dream. You have your own. And if you’re constantly shrinking, reshaping, and bending just to fit, you’ll eventually break.

You Can’t Change People—Not Like That

Listen, changing your own mind is hard enough. Ever tried getting yourself to the gym consistently? Cutting out sugar (the real kind, not the metaphorical one)? It’s a battle. So why do we think we can change other people? You can inspire, you can encourage, but you cannot force transformation. People change when they want to, not when you think they should.

The Power of Influence: Who’s in Your Ear?

There’s a common saying: you become the people you surround yourself with. But let’s add a twist to that. It’s not just about proximity; it’s about influence. Being around successful people won’t magically make you successful unless you adopt their work ethic. Similarly, hanging with people who make bad choices doesn’t automatically make you like them—but it does put you in an environment where those choices become easier.

More importantly, who’s speaking into your life? Are the people around you pouring life into your dreams, or are they quietly suffocating them? Are they encouraging growth, or are they planting seeds of doubt? Because if you’re constantly battling negative voices, you’ll eventually start believing them.

It’s Okay to Walk Away

This part is crucial: it’s okay to let people go. It’s okay to remove yourself from situations that drain you. And no, that doesn’t mean you should be toxic and act like you’re the center of the universe while blaming everyone else. But it does mean that if you’ve done the work, had the conversations, tried to grow, and nothing is changing, it might be time to step away.

God didn’t create you to be mediocre. He didn’t place you on this earth to be stifled, held back, or limited by the fears and small-mindedness of others. Every single person has a purpose, a design, a reason for being. And if you’re constantly in environments that suffocate that purpose, you are robbing yourself of the life you were meant to live.

Check Your Circle

Take a moment to really evaluate: Who’s in your life? Are they there on purpose and with purpose? Or are they just there because they always have been? Are you keeping them around out of guilt, obligation, or fear of being alone? Because, trust me, it’s better to be alone for a season than surrounded by people who keep you from your destiny.

And on the flip side—what kind of friend, family member, or partner are you? Are you lifting others up, supporting their dreams, and speaking life into them? Or are you letting your own limiting beliefs affect the people around you?

Stop Living for Their Approval

People will limit you to the size of their own vision. If they can’t see big things for themselves, they sure won’t see it for you. And if you’re waiting for them to approve of your purpose, you’ll be waiting forever. Their doubts are not your reality. Their fears are not your future.

Life is too short to live under the limits of someone else’s small thinking. If someone is constantly making you question yourself, doubt your abilities, or feel less than, then it’s time to make a change. You were created for more. Don’t let someone else’s lack of vision steal your purpose.

So, salt or sugar? Make sure you know the difference. Because one makes life sweeter, and the other… well, let’s just say it’ll leave a bad taste in your mouth.