Lose ten pounds, exercise daily, spend more time with family, get out of debt, serve in the community more, stop swearing, quit smoking, and on and on and on. The infamous New Years resolutions! 

Many of us make New Years resolutions every year without fail and without fail we (most of us) fall short of our goals. Something I personally have struggled with is my desire to eliminate negative people from my circle. The feeling of a need to love people well is often messy when those people are caustic, causing stress and desiring to hurt others with opinionated words as sharp as daggers. 
Our human need for acceptance and attachment is instinctive yet we need to find a balance as we recognize this and seek to meet this need. So how can we love well and not be dragged down by those who wish to suck our joy? Might I suggest that we continue to love well and keep emotional distance when needed, knowing that those who are drowning in negativity need love more than anyone. Emotional distance is healthy and safe just as keeping physical distance from flames ensures we will not catch fire so is keeping emotional distance from joy suckers. The danger is sadly very much the same. 
We all have those people in our lives that offer their input and advice even when not asked and in reality feels more like judgment and condemnation than concern and love. What we do with those words and where we place those people in our lives is our choice. Over the years I have learned to compartmentalize my life and emotions, taking the insight offered by others frequently unasked for and either toss it out, place it aside for later attention, or deal with and be done. I find that hanging on to and/or dwelling on another's negativity is sheer poison to my soul. 
So as I look ahead to the new year I choose to see hope, circumstances that can be embraced and faced head on, conquerors not sufferers, joy invoking people, words that uplift, and people who crave goodness in others. 

"Let go of the people who dull your shine, poison your spirit, and bring you drama. Cancel your subscription to their issues."   - Maraboli