“Go with the flow” typically a compliment to describe people that are able to roll with the punches. In this specific episode we observe the external and internal factors that contribute to our ability to be easily swayed in one direction or...

“Go with the flow” typically a compliment to describe people that are able to roll with the punches. In this specific episode we observe the external and internal factors that contribute to our ability to be easily swayed in one direction or the other. Our friends and family often can be big influences on our lives, that convince us in one way or another what is the right path. The media we consume like social apps, books and podcasts can also convince us of what is the right or wrong thing to do. Then there is the internal battle that exists inside of our mental and emotional states. Am I doing the right thing? Am I studying the right thing? Am I living my life the right way? A lot of times we can feel like we are floating and swaying with the tide, rarely ever staunchly planted in one place or the other.    This swaying can be exhausting mentally and emotionally. With no north star that is able to guide our own personal agency we can feel aimless and even lost. Friends and family aren’t bad or wrong, but they certainly aren’t you! There’s only one life and it is yours first and nobody else’s. Your time, energy and mental space are resources that can’t afford to be swayed every time your friends, family or society tells you otherwise. Most people including ourselves are subject to countless influences in our lives, however it is our responsibility to decide what we value and to take action based on those values.    The safety and camaraderie that comes with doing what everyone else is doing can be incredibly comforting. We are constantly seeking out that comfort first and foremost, but once that is satisfied it is our responsibility and duty to live a life that we are more than proud of. Taking risks outside of the norm, is what makes our lives unique and exciting, truly our own. By knowing what our values and goals are and the correct actions to take in order to achieve said goals can make it easier to not be swayed and pulled in different directions. Plant your values firmly in the ground and that stability will allow you to guide your actions and follow them more closely.

Tides of Influence