Today's post is going to be a bit different I think. The topic I have in mind is a pretty broad one so this might be a little all over the place. In other words buckle up! Certain parts of this past week got me thinking about people in general and how differently they can impact our lives. There are obvious good examples such as my post last week talking about our loved ones. There are also plenty of negative ways people can impact our lives as well such as when I discussed toxic people in our lives. I want to really just roll all that into one post. Overall I want to just share my thoughts on the topic and encourage everyone to be the best possible person they can be in the world.

Let's start on the negative note (since we all know how much I love to end my posts on a positive one). The biggest inspiration for this is pretty miniscule compared to some of the bigger issues in the world, but something pretty common. The lack of etiquette in the world simply amazes me sometime. A great example of this is at the gym. I am really blown away at how rude some people are at times. I have on numerous occasions had people swoop in and take a machine I am clearly using the second I stand up. I am not even kidding, I once had a guy steal a machine I was still using when I was maybe 6 inches away from the seat. Just the lack of consideration for others blows my mind sometimes. The gym absolutely is not the only place for this though. If someone holds a door open for you, please just tell them thank you. Hold the door for someone else instead of letting it slam in their face. I could go on and on with examples, but I think you get the point. It literally costs nothing and takes hardly any time or effort to be a decent person in this world. Think of how much friendlier the world would be overall if we all just put in a bit more effort to be decent human beings.

On a bit more positive note I want you to think about all the people that are somehow in your lives. From parents, siblings, friends, coaches, bosses, etc. we all have a number of people in our lives at any given time. Think about the role they play in your life no matter how big or small. A big example might be your parents. I know some are not as blessed as I am to have the relationship I have with mine, so maybe that is a negative influence on your life. Take a coach/trainer as well. Chances are you spend little time overall with that person during your week. My trainer and I only see each other for about an hour a week, but he is a huge influence on me and has pushed me so far in my health journey. I am capable of so many things in the gym I never would have dreamed of before now. Time spent does not always equate to quality. I think that is important to remember. Humans can impact each other so much in very small portions of time, in the same way they can in large amounts of time. 

Now that you have the list of people in your head I want you to now realize that you are also on every single one of their lists as well. You have an impact on others too. For some that may be a great thing, and for others maybe not as great. We all have pasts, we all make mistakes, we all can't completely always get along. Think about your interactions with others and decide if that is truly the person you want to be in this lifetime. I also want everyone to realize just how much of a blessing it is to have others who love us in our lives. If you have someone that loves you despite the skeletons in your closet and past mistakes, may it be a parent, sibling, friend, romantic partner, anyone, hold onto them. I know I am repeating this theme from last week, but if you are lucky enough to have anyone in your life that sees past your flaws and loves you anyways hold onto them and never push them away. 

I suppose my overall message I wanted to get across this week was to just do your best to be a decent person. No we can't all be saints and all do good all the time, but just try your best. If you see someone at the gym using a machine wait your turn. If you disagree with someone on any topic such as a political argument or something as small as where to eat dinner (and everything in between) do not let that define or even break your relationship. We have the ability to have calm discussions where we see each other's point of views and respect them while still having our own differing opinion. Stop living your life selfishly and hateful towards other human beings. We all after all only have one life. Wouldn't you rather spend it laughing rather than arguing?