Here is what happens to your business when you eliminate toxic relationships...

Over the past year, I've lost a few friendships and professional relationships. Cutting out someone from your life, especially if you've known them for years, feels like a punch in the gut.

But sometimes it's necessary. When someone is constantly bringing you down, it can bring your business down, too. Startups are hard enough--that's why it's crucial to surround yourself with positive people.

Here's what happens to your business when you say goodbye to toxic relationships.

1. The future gets brighter.
   Cue the old proverb: "Show me your friends, and I'll show you your future." People who spend lots of time together end up speaking, thinking, and even dressing alike.

When you're surrounded by negative people who can never seem to catch a break and who complain about their circumstances without doing anything about it, you're not setting yourself up to succeed.

STRATEGY
Here's What Happens to Your Business When You Eliminate Toxic Relationships
It can be hard to walk away from long term relationships, but sometimes it's for the best.
By Arianna O'DellFounder, Airlink Design @arianna

CREDIT: Getty Images

Over the past year, I've lost a few friendships and professional relationships. Cutting out someone from your life, especially if you've known them for years, feels like a punch in the gut.

But sometimes it's necessary. When someone is constantly bringing you down, it can bring your business down, too. Startups are hard enough--that's why it's crucial to surround yourself with positive people.

Here's what happens to your business when you say goodbye to toxic relationships.

1. The future gets brighter.
   Cue the old proverb: "Show me your friends, and I'll show you your future." People who spend lots of time together end up speaking, thinking, and even dressing alike.

When you're surrounded by negative people who can never seem to catch a break and who complain about their circumstances without doing anything about it, you're not setting yourself up to succeed.

Eliminating these relationships means you're choosing to surround yourself by people who are doers, not complainers. These people push the limits of what's possible, have a positive attitude, and take responsibility for their successes and failures. When you're surrounded by positive people like these, you're more likely to become like them.

1. More energy to spend on your business.
   Over drinks with a friend we chatted about toxic relationships I had been in. She asked me "Why do you still keep them in your life? It's just a waste of time and you could be spending that time with people who support you."

After our chat, I deleted their contact information and was shocked to see that in the preceding weeks, more positivity came into my life.

Why do entrepreneurs like Mike Zuckerberg wear the same clothes every day? To save the mental energy of choosing what to wear every morning. These business gurus know that their energy is limited, so they'll do whatever it takes to protect that energy for what really matters: their business.

While you don't need to go to extremes like wearing the same hoodie and jeans every day, you can't afford to spend precious energy on toxic relationships in your life. Some people thrive by throwing drama your way in hopes of capturing your attention. With people in your life like that, you're starting each day with less energy and ability to make good decisions for your business (and your life).

Once you've parted ways with those people, you'll reclaim the mental space that was once devoted to them. Then you can devote your full energy to pursue your vision, accomplish your goals, and fulfill your life's purpose.

1. Strength to make difficult but important decisions.
   Let's face it--it's not easy to say goodbye to an old friend, romantic relationship, or colleague, especially when it doesn't end well.

But there is a bright side. The decision to end a toxic friendship is a hard but necessary one, just like the many decisions you'll face over the course of building your business. You may have to let go of a poorly-performing employee, or you may have to end a semi-successful endeavor in order to focus all your energy into something more profitable.

Each of these decisions requires grit and sacrifice. The hard decisions you make now to end toxic relationships will strengthen your decision-making muscles and allow you to make stronger and better business decisions in the future.

By Arianna O'Dell.
Founder, Airlink Design.