How to Become a Person You’d Hang Out With

Hi! Let’s take a Thursday deep breath, and do a quick self-inventory. 

How would you answer these questions about yourself? (They are today questions, but you can use yesterday if you are reading this in the morning.) 

• What did you talk about today? 

• What kinds of words did you use? 

• Did you build up or tear down? 

• What do you look like today?

• How do you feel today?

• How are you talking about those things? 

These questions will usually give you a pretty good indication of what you bring into a room and your relationships. Now think about this question: Would you want to hang out with yourself? 

I want to be a person (and be around people) who bring joy into a room with them. I want to make places and people feel lighter. I want to build up, encourage and be fully alive. Recently, I realized that exasperated sighs and talking about being tired were coming out of me more than anything. Nobody wants to hang out with the tired lady who wastes her breath feeling sorry for herself. I didn’t even want to hang out with myself! 

Good news! If you aren’t the person you want to be (or the kind of person you’d hang out with), you can change! It is scientifically proven that God has given us renewable minds. We have amazing capacities to change. We can literally rewrite our DNA and physiological structures through our thoughts and habits.  You can make small, practical changes and be made new. Just look at your personal inventory, and choose one thing to do differently tomorrow.  

During last week’s Thankful Thursday, I shared some personal examples of how I am going to turn away from things I don’t like and change some habits. My list: 

• No more talking about being tired. No matter what. 

• No more exasperated sounds - and apologize to my family if one slips out. 

• Start the morning with a 7 minute activate my core muscles and my core belief in self-discipline.

• Take 5 minutes breaks after working out or putting Benjamin down to refresh myself before plunging into the next busy task. 

The little things are building blocks: our words, habits and mindsets. Over time, these become the pillars of who we are, the legacies we pass down to our children, and eventually shape the stories of our lives! 

Check out last week’s Thankful Thursday video for more!