Lately, I have been thinking about the power of influence! And how the people we are close to and are associated with, can positively or negatively affect our lives. It is amazing how many
lives have been destroyed by the associations they keep. My question to our teenagers and youth is what effects are your friends having on you?
Ask yourself, “Who am I with most of the time?”, “Who am I turning into because of this friendship?” “What is improving in my life and what is getting worse? Are my grades better because of this friendship?” “What have they got me doing? What have they got me reading? Where have they got me going? You’ve got to make a serious study of how others are influencing you, both negatively and positively.
How many people on your list are achieving their dreams and are supporting yours, and are taking responsibility for their lives? How many of them are headed for youth detention centres and prison by virtue of their present attitudes and thoughtless ways?
You’re better off spending time alone than with people who hold themselves and consequently you back with a victim mentality. Simply stop spending time with the negative people on your list. Join the clubs that will put you in with a positive circle of friends. Set a new standard for yourself and don’t become friends with people who fall below that standard.
You have to take responsibility for this area of your life. Look around you at the people you call friends, you act just like them! Does it make you proud or does it make your parents proud? Are you selling yourself short? Or are you on the right track? Keep successful people around you and you will be successful! Be around people who can accomplish their goals and you will accomplish yours! The choice is yours to make.
Here’s a final question: “Is that okay?” Maybe everyone you associate with has been a positive, energizing influence. Then again, maybe there are some bad apples in the bunch. All I’m suggesting here is that you take a close and objective look. Everything is worth a second look, especially the power of influence.
It is easy to just dismiss the things that influence our lives. One man says, “I live here, but I don’t think it matters. I’m around these people, but I don’t think it hurts.” I would take another look at that. Remember, everything matters! Sure, some things matter more than others, but everything amounts to something. You’ve got to keep checking to find out whether your associations are tipping the scales toward the positive or toward the negative. Ignorance is never the best policy. Finding out is the best policy.
I recently read the story of the little bird that had his wing over his eye and was crying. Then the owl said to him, “You are crying.” “Yes,” said the little bird, and he pulled his wing away from his eye. “Oh, I see,” said the owl. “You’re crying because the big bird pecked out your eye.” And the little bird said, “No, I’m not crying because the big bird pecked out my eye. I’m crying because I let him.”
Many years from now, you may be crying. Not that your life ended up being poor and useless. But because you allowed it!
May all your dreams come true!
Tola Adeliyi
One Response
Wow,I came across this ..
what a great read! it’s so true that friendships can be both negative and positive influence and sadly, in these times when life and everything around us has changed so much.
You’re so right about saying everything that matters.
We should ask ourselves what criteria help us choose the right people in our lives. Your writing is truly captivating .. x