you are a reflection of your surroundings

Did you ever find yourself copying a friend’s habit? Maybe you started using their favourite words or made a similar joke. These are just seemingly unimportant mannerisms but showcase the gravity of surrounding yourself with people and media that inspires you!

Copying their choice of words is pretty insignificant however since everybody is constantly changing you will slowly pick up more of their habits than you think. Whether it’s their interest in music and films or a hobby that you started because of them. This is something that is quite hard to avoid because you probably won’t realise it and most of the time it comes naturally.

Don’t worry this is not necessarily a bad thing, you can use it for your own good.

Take a moment to think about the most important people in your life and those who you spend a lot of time with, how they act, what they say, how they think. Think about what you admire about them and what you rather dislike. Do you think they have a positive influence on you? Do you wanna be like them? Now I'm definitely not telling you to just drop all of your friends and change your job just cause not everybody around you is perfect. Rather just look out for people that challenge and inspire you and start to spend more time with them instead. After some time you’ll see changes in your life. Especially your friend group can have so much power over who you are if you don't pay close enough attention.

Maybe talk to that person you’re all so jealous of or sit beside the smart kid in school. These little things can change your life. Maybe they’re gonna push you to be better and will make you feel good about your achievements. Friends can motivate you and make you realise what you’re capable of. But at the same time they can hold you back or make you feel worthless. So don’t just be friends with them out of habit even though they treat you badly and don’t stay in that friend group just because you’re scared of being alone despite them making you feel invisible.

Your friends are a reflection of who you are and you are a reflection of them.

Remember that you should also try to be the friend that you want! Treat others how you would like to be treated. Kindness pays off. So be aware of your surroundings and think critically about others and yourself!

Also think about the media you consume! For example, watch more inspiring or uplifting videos and try not to get stuck on the toxic and sad side of tiktok. If you’re watching negative content for an hour it’s not likely that you’re not gonna feel happy afterwards. The same goes for music, books and film, you are what you consume and you shouldn’t underestimate media just cause it’s all in your phone. Sometimes we spend more time on the internet than in reality so make sure you’re aware of what you consume. However this does not mean to just ignore your feelings and block them out. If you’re feeling unwell it’s okay to cry to a gut-wrenching song or to watch a heartbreaking movie! These things can make you feel understood and it’s more than okay to let your feelings out. But as Haruki Murakami said:

“We cannot simply sit and stare at our wounds forever.”

In conclusion, pay attention to the people you spend your time with and the media you consume on a day to day basis. Don’t shy away from talking to those who you look up to and watching inspiring videos that make you feel good about the world and yourself.

Yours Truly,

Dear Youth Global,

Aurélie Lambert