taking credit

You know what the best feeling in the world is? It's having the ability to influence someone. Especially when it is someone you really care about, almost as much as you care about yourself.

I have been "working" on my best friend for ages now. In the past year, she's changed so much, almost 180 degrees. I can't take credit for it all, but i can definitely take credit for a lot of it.

I've constantly tried to change her take on things. It all started with years ago telling her to stop worrying what to wish for so much because "God isn't out there to get you" and she took that in pretty well. Now she's wishing for and working towards everything, and i know she'll get it all.

I changed her taste in music, showing her that what she listens to has an implicit but overwhelming effect on her mood, and thus attitude and behavior. I was so proud to watch her sing along to my ipod a few days ago, refusing the bring-you-down music she not so long ago worshipped.

I changed her take on lifelong commitment, and she can see with my eyes now. They only person you're forced to commit to is yourself. Anyone else should either be an added benefit or should be gone.

I talked her through investing in herself. I demonstrated the difference between negative and positive energies. And how staying away from people who spread negative energy makes your whole life so much better. And how loving life will make life love you back. And how all that crap i practice and preach really works.

Today i saw the fruit of my labour. Just a few days back i pushed her in a certain career-related direction, and i think things are definitely going to work out. When you have most things in life going for you, its a sin to waste those that aren't. That's all what i've been trying to tell her (and others) for so long.

If you've got a good career, work on your appearance. If you've got good friends, work on family. If you've got money, do some charity and spread the wealth. If you've got free time, fill it up. If you have the time and capacity, travel travel travel. If you go shopping, get a book and read it. If you find God, share Him. If you're in a good relationship, embrace it. If you're in a bad relationship, ditch it. If you have it all, appreciate it. And i mean really appreciate it.

People "thank" God all the time but i can tell when at least half of them don't really mean it. Being thankful isn't about mouthing to words to anyone or even to yourself. Being thankful is all about being happy. Being thankful is quitting the blame on other people, our bad comes from within us, not from the outside. Being thankful means acknowledging both your good and your bad. I'll say it over and over, we're not perfect. We aren't meant to be perfect. But it's these imperfections that make us whole.

We go off track when we focus on one small detail of our life and forget everything else. Girls who are everyday stressing relationships and marriage never become their own person. They always live in someone else's shadow. Guys who are career oriented workaholics miss out on so much, always planning to make lost time up later on in life. There is no later on, some things are once in a lifetime. Both genders are constantly falling into the misapprehension that "things are good as they are." Things can always, always be better. And if you can't find room for improvement in your life, then who's fault is that? If you can find room for improvement and refuse to act upon it, you don't deserve an ounce of what you have.

Happy people are beautiful. Ambitious people get somewhere. Radiant people have influence. Take cues from everything around you don't close off yourself. When you want to be there for someone be there for them in your heart, body and soul. Half there is never good enough. We have so much time on our hands, there's enough time to do everything. Don't waste a moment being unhappy when you can be otherwise. Because negative energy drains you, and when you're drained there's nothing much you can accomplish. And that would be a waste of a beautiful life.

ps. This post is dedicated to someone, she knows who she is. May we always have the ability to influence each other so beautifully. It works both ways. xoxo