We all understand that some things are better for us than others, but in the end, it boils down to the choices we make every day. When faced with these choices, it’s easy to end up in situations we’d rather avoid or forget about our well-being. However, if you want to make the most out of life, you should choose life.

Choosing life means avoiding habits that can literally lead to death, like eating unhealthy foods or smoking. By staying away from harmful foods and not smoking, you reduce the risk of diseases like heart problems or lung cancer, and you’ve chosen life.

Another way to choose life is by removing negative and abusive people from your life. Say no to those who take away your positive energy or make you feel guilty or scared. This frees up resources, such as your time and energy, that can be used for the people who matter most to you.

But how do you know who belongs in your inner circle? Here’s a simple exercise:

List all the people you interact with at least five times per week. Then rate how these interactions make you feel on a scale from one to ten (ten being the best).

Focus more on the people you’ve rated higher than eight by spending more time with them. Spend less time with everyone else on your list, and distance yourself even more from those rated lower than five.

It might be tough at first to distance yourself from certain people, and like any big change, saying no might mean breaking old habits. Take Claudia, one of the authors, for example: She used to chase after men who were not available. In one extreme case, she pursued someone for almost two years, convinced she was in love despite only seeing him four times!

Eventually, she realized she was addicted to unattainable love and started saying no – first to that particular man and then to her addiction.

To overcome her addiction, she joined a support group, which helped her get ready for a real relationship based on love, honor, and respect. Now, she’s happily married for over five years.