Influence can be likened to a liquid that flows into and out of all of us. The character of what flows into us directly affects our internal state and affects what flows out of us, inevitably impacting what gets into others around us.
People, places, and experiences that provide positive influence are those that help us move nearer to our desired results and help us to be better today than we were yesterday. Many if not all of us can recall times of positive change in our thinking that enabled us to move well beyond what we initially anticipated. Some of us may even have enjoyed the privilege of watching others process inputs we provided and move themselves to better lives.
In working to immerse ourselves in positive environments and become good influences for others, we must continually be on the lookout for inputs that will:
• Inspire – Expand vision to encompass a better future than previously thought possible
• Challenge – Create a demand to be, do, and have greater than what presently exists
• Encourage – Provide an external “You can do this!” such that it becomes the recipient’s permanent internal “I can do this!”
• Motivate – Instill or help to discover a sense of purpose and “Why” that becomes an impetus for achievement
If it is true that, as Jim Rohn said, “we become the combined average of the five people we hang around most”, then the higher the concentration of these and similar elements we can spend our time around, the higher quality output we will have to flow to others. We will be continually aware that we are not alone in our pursuit of better lifestyles and bringing positive change to others’ worlds if we will continually:
• Search out and surround ourselves with the people who have already been where we want to go
• Be in places and engage in activities that keep us stretched slightly beyond our comfort with the understanding that stretching induces growth
• Contribute to the success of others through our lifestyle example – there’s always someone else looking to us for positive influence
Life is a continual flow of learning and teaching, inputs and outputs. By being very particular of the elements in our environments, we will not only incorporate things into our lives that create better results, but we will also have a greater level of vision, belief, and expertise as we progress to offer anyone who might be following in our footsteps.
• People who want to get better at cooking healthy meals would be wise to spend more time with others who are already good at it and understand why it’s important.
• Athletes looking for better performance should spend time among others who have achieved the type of performance they want using methods that are reasonable and acceptable.
• Business minds seeking greater advancement should look for opportunities to learn from achievers who are more advanced in their particular areas of expertise.
• Those who struggle with anxiety and need to learn how to have peace of mind have much to gain from learning from others who have already made the transition successfully.
The concepts of abundance and purity versus deficiency and toxicity apply in all areas of life, not just in our physical bodies. It is up to us to selectively assemble the influences we want affecting our lives’ environments. With its wellness lifestyle experts and growing community of Well People from all stages of life, BonfireHealth.com is a great source for inspiration, challenge, encouragement and motivation in the areas of eating, moving, and thinking. Let’s choose today to build our own particulars onto the solid foundation of the Bonfire lifestyle and make it easy for ourselves and those around us to be healthy!
