Seneca told Lucilius to be careful about whose company he kept, because we slowly take on the habits and moods of the people around us. Spend time with the anxious and the bitter, and some of it rubs off. Spend it with the steady and the generous, and that rubs off too. This isn't about cutting people coldly out of your life. It's about being thoughtful with your closeness, giving more of it to those who bring out your better self. You're shaped by your surroundings whether you notice or not, so it's worth noticing. Choose, where you can, the company that leaves you calmer and kinder.

Inspired by the old idea of we absorb our company. Written by Ugo Charles.