Impact

My blogging has been virtually non-existent lately. For those of you looking for a life update, I'm sorry but you'll have to wait a little bit longer. Greek Week is coming up and the semester thus far has been virtually non stop. These are just some thoughts that have been occupying my mind lately, and I figure they could be good reason for a blog post...


Do you ever stop to think about the true impact your actions, no matter how great or small, have on others? Y'all are gonna think it is cliche and I'm gonna go off about how a single smile can save someone's life, but I'm talking regular, day to day interactions.

We all have friends, boyfriends, girlfriends, and family members that we were very close with at one time and then eventually grew apart from and gradually lost contact completely. Then there are the people with whom your relationship ends instantaneously, for whatever reason. There are also people you know by association, whether through a significant other's career, a family member's friend, etc that you may not have a relationship with, but follow from afar. There are people who are in your life for a few days, and those who are permanent fixtures.

Think of one of these people. Your relationship with them may seem virtually nonexistent. But every relationship is a learning experience. I cannot think of one friendship, one boyfriend, one acquaintance I did not learn something from. And this is me thinking all the way back to middle school. If so many people have impacted or influenced my life in one way or another, how have my actions (or non-actions) influenced others? Have I made them want to better themselves, become more confident and caring? Or have I shown them exactly how they don't want to act, caused grief, or was absent when I should have been there? Personally, I am hoping for the former.

Recently, one of my friends really made me start reflecting on my life this past year. Have I been making the decisions that, deep down, are what I really want for myself? Have I been not only respecting others, but showing myself respect? Have I been people pleasing and putting my own needs on the back burner? Have I been selfish and done things without thinking of the consequences to others? Do I truly like the person I am and is the person I portray the same as the person I am deep down, when I am completely myself?

Lots of times, I think we act differently around different groups of people. The way we act around our family is different than our friends from home which is different than our school friends, etc. I'm not talking about acting differently at work than at home, because this is totally appropriate. You cannot be cracking inappropriate jokes in front of your boss (unless he is baller, of course). But in regular social situations, why do we do this? Do we want to impress certain people? Are we acting as role models? Am I being a person that, when someone asks about me, people say "oh everyone loves her!" or do they make a face and steer clear? Do people find me approachable and easy to talk to when they need help? Or do I come across as standoffish? Really being conscious about my actions and how I portray myself to others, along with WHY I portray myself this way is something I really would like to become more mindful about. People watch every move and decision you make. And it can have a huge impact on them.

One of the people I look up to most happens to be someone I have never met. She is witty, has poise, is always there to lend an ear, and is one of the strongest women I know, not to mention she has a killer bod. She speaks her mind, yet hears others out. She does not conform just because "everyone is doing it". She is comfortable with herself. She is smart, strong, and still has no problem admitting moments of weakness, which is one of the strongest things I think you can do. She probably will never know how much I admire her and look up to her, but her impact on my life was so unexpected yet great.

Another friend of mind has very strong values that differ than most other kids my age. When I first spoke to them, I was astounded by how confident and sure of themselves they were.  I was also shocked that someone still held these values dear to them. They were doing what they knew was best for them, and not trying to please others, which would mean not keeping the ideals they hold close to their heart. Seeing that this was possible truly made me reevaluate the values I find important against the way I act and carry them out (which I don't do as often as I hoped). While they may not realize the impact they had on me, it is larger than I could have ever predicted.

Maybe this was a lot of rambling, maybe I have made you really think. Either way, next time you wonder why someone was put in your life, or taken from it unexpectedly, try to think about what you learned from them (and maybe what they have learned from you). It really is amazing the impact we have on others, even when we don't know it. So, maybe this week we can all try to be a little more mindful, and hope we influence others in a way that sheds a positive light on their life.

Have a wonderful week!


xoxo
-B