By Leland Pulley
Do yourself a favor. Monitor the things that you allow to come into your life and remain there. Let in only good and uplifting influences that will help you be a better and happier individual. Keep out those things which are negative in nature and ultimately work against you. The better you=re able to control what comes into your life and what you discharge out of it, the more freedom you will enjoy.
Each day you are bombarded with audio and visual messages in the environment around you. These environmental influences can come from many sources. Let us consider a few illustrations.
You observe others and have conversations with them. Human interaction is perhaps one of the most powerful influences in our lives. Consider what you are learning from others for good or bad and their impact on you. Likewise, what is your impact on them? This interaction should be enjoyable, constructive, uplifting, and helpful to all concerned. Eliminate interaction that is abusive, negative, destructive, or pulls you down in any way.
Radio and television always send subtle messages to us not only through their music and programs, but their advertisements. In movies the scenes presented, and characters portrayed send messages which we can accept or reject. Do not spend your time or money on negative and cheap entertainment that does not benefit you in some positive way.
Reading materials like books, magazines, and newspapers provide lots of information. It is up to us to filter out the bad and let in only the useful and good. The Internet too has become a source of good and bad information. This includes social media like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. It is up to us to utilize these powerful tools in a productive and effective way.
Another major environmental influence is style and fashion. We will change our hair style and buy clothes we do not need just to keep up with the latest styles. In some cases, the clothes have to be a certain brand and these usually are not cheap. With limited budgets, trying to satisfy our vanity is not a wise thing. Too often people do not use good judgment in what they try to copy. They spend money and waste time trying to be like someone else or fit into some group when none of this is necessary for true happiness and long-term success.
Often, we put too much stress on physical beauty and always try to look good in outward appearance. At the same time, less attention is paid to inward beauty or the development of positive and kind thoughts and feelings. For example, what good does it do to have a beautiful body, when you use it to participate in immoral behavior? Or what good does it do to be an attractive person, who has a filthy mind? In both cases outward beauty cannot overcome inward pollution. Remember, inner strength is more important than outward appearance. An attractive smile and friendly disposition should appeal to everyone, and this comes from within each of us.
Sex is a big theme that is pushed on us continually. This is done in both direct and indirect ways. The message comes through in the lyrics of music. Television shows and movies send similar messages, as well as certain types of books. All the pornography, especially on the Internet, reinforces improper and immoral sexual thought and behavior. The result in more sexual activity by people who are not married, and in some cases sexual activity with someone who is married to another individual. One-night stands are taken from granted. Cheating on your mate is okay. It is all about me and what I think is justified or OK. After all, I make up the rules that I live by! These types of selfish and immoral thoughts always come before the outward behavior. With such thoughts and behavior, there is always a decrease in spirituality and eventual unhappiness. Family life is weakened because marriages do not occur, other marriages are broken up, unwanted children are aborted, and children see the negative fruits of divorce. None of these things help the individuals involved, nor contribute to any improvement in the environment that we all share.
A very popular message is live for today and don=t worry much about tomorrow, especially the long-term future. Along with this is the instant gratification mentality. I want it now, so give it to me. I want convenience. I do not want to wait because I am not very patient. This is not enough reflection to learn from the past, make better choices today, and be prepared for the future.
The illustrations above point out that people are influenced by what goes on around them and more importantly what they allow into their lines. So, you need to ask yourself what messages are coming to you daily from your environment? What do you notice or pay attention to in the messages being received? What do you actually let into your mind and how much do you think about it? What inputs affect your feelings? Which things that come in do you store or allow to remain with you permanently? How do you get rid of or cast out that which you reject or no longer want? For things that are allowed to remain, how do they ultimately affect your decisions and behavior? These types of questions should demonstrate that you are the one who must be your own inner boss. You are the one who must be in control ultimately, not your environment.
Do you want to develop more character? Do you want increased spirituality in your life? Do you want to be happier both now and in the future? Then you have to become a better gatekeeper of what goes into and out of your mind. Take better charge of your mind and monitor its impact on your feelings. Be more aware of what is going in and out daily. Be more selective and establish some personal standards of what you want and will tolerate. For example, clean and moral thoughts, kind and pleasant ones, and lots of good feelings are all desirable. So are many virtues. Seek to bring more of these into your life. To support such efforts, greater mental and emotional self-discipline is required. Along with this, you must improve or change some things in your environment. For example, stop listening to certain types of music. Do not watch television programs and movies that are not edifying. Read different types of books and articles in magazines, newspapers, and on the Internet. Do not be idle but be engaged in good endeavors that benefit yourself and others. Such outward actions help to fill your mind with good thoughts, and they will squeeze out bad thoughts. To go even further, do your best to be a good role model for your mate, children, and others. Seek out others who have the values, beliefs, and goals that you do. Find people who set a good example for you. Then interact and socialize with these types of people. In some cases, this may require a change in your circle of friends. Every step you take to be a better gatekeeper, along with exercising more control over environmental influences, will put you in a stronger position. You become more a master of your own fate.
Key Words – environment influences, human interaction, entertainment, reading materials, internet, social media, style and fashion, physical beauty, inner strength, immoral thoughts, family life, instant gratification, inner boss, character, spirituality, gatekeeper, personal standards, virtues, self-discipline, role model
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