I surround myself with positive, happy people. And I always try

When Nina Agdal declared, “I surround myself with positive, happy people. And I always try to balance things that I have to do with things that I want to do,” she spoke to the eternal art of harmony in life. Her words carry the fragrance of ancient wisdom: that the soul is shaped by the company it keeps, and that true fulfillment comes not from endless toil nor from reckless pleasure, but from the sacred balance between duty and desire, between what sustains the body and what nourishes the heart.

The ancients themselves cherished this truth. The philosopher Aristotle taught of the “golden mean,” the middle path between excess and deficiency, where virtue is found. To live only for obligation is to wither the spirit; to live only for indulgence is to corrode the will. But to walk the middle way, to balance necessity with joy, is to cultivate a life both steady and radiant. In Nina’s words we hear the echo of this timeless call to equilibrium.

Equally profound is her recognition of the power of surroundings. Just as a tree flourishes in fertile soil but struggles in barren ground, so too does the human spirit grow or falter depending on the people who encircle it. To keep company with the bitter and the destructive is to be dragged into their storms. To walk beside the positive and happy is to be lifted by their light. The ancients spoke of this as well; in the Book of Proverbs it is written, “He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.” Nina’s wisdom is to choose her companions as carefully as one chooses the foundation of a home.

History gives us vivid testimony of this truth. Consider the life of Mahatma Gandhi. Though burdened with the monumental duty of leading his people toward freedom, Gandhi surrounded himself with those whose spirits radiated peace, faith, and joy. Their presence fortified him during trials, and his balance between immense responsibility and moments of personal prayer, simplicity, and joy gave him the endurance to persevere. Without this harmony between what he “had to do” and what he “wanted to do,” even a soul as great as his might have broken under the weight of destiny.

The teaching here is not one of indulgence but of wisdom. To balance duties with desires is to honor both sides of our nature: the part that serves others and the part that longs to be free, creative, and alive. Neglect one, and the other will wither. A life of only duty becomes a cage; a life of only pleasure becomes an abyss. But together, they form the wings of a bird, allowing the soul to fly steady and high.

Thus the lesson is clear: guard your circle and guard your balance. Choose to walk with those who uplift you, who encourage joy, and who speak life into your spirit. And each day, weigh your tasks and your desires, giving time to both. Work with diligence, but also rest with gratitude. Serve with commitment, but also play with delight. In this rhythm, life finds harmony.

In practice, this means reflecting often on your companions: do they bring you higher, or do they pull you down? Seek out the joyful, the kind, the hopeful, and let their spirit nourish yours. Likewise, schedule your life so that labor and leisure are both honored — give yourself to your work, but also make sacred space for the things that bring you delight: family, art, friendship, laughter. In this way, you live fully, without regret.

Therefore, remember Nina Agdal’s wisdom: surround yourself with positive people, and walk always in balance. For it is not only achievements or pleasures that define a good life, but the harmony between them. Live thus, and your days will not be a burden to endure nor an indulgence to regret, but a song of joy sung in perfect rhythm.