Radvent: Influence

I’ll have to let Radvent go through January because there are a few good topics this week. Today I’ll work on Influencing.

 Image re-blogged with permission from Princess Lasertron

Five of my greatest influences is difficult to narrow down. I could easily do this exercise for every year of my life, as well as make the list longer. But narrowing down what influencers you should listen to most is very important, especially when you want to be a positive influencer on the world.

1. Nature: Every time I am out by trees or water I am reminded of how time is fleeting, that life has cycles and that everything will (instinctively) work out as it should.

2. Captivating authors who inspire me to write: Thea Beckman (her Hasse Simonsdochter is my most influential book), Astrid Lindgren, Annie M.G. Schmidt, Anne Frank, Else Ury (Germany’s Lucy Maud Montgomery), Donna Tartt, Paulo Coehlo.

3. Living in 3 countries before age 20. Adapting to each culture was difficult and a huge learning curve, and then exploring 3 states in the U.S. has been an adventure as well. I cannot identify with one single nationality and have learned that every culture has its pros and cons. “Where are you from?” is a complicated question!

4. My year at Thunderbird. That is when I began growing up. I made wonderful connections with people of a variety of cultures, began to empower myself as a person, learned a lot academically and interpersonally, and have fond memories of the international nights.

5. Successful women in the arts and crafts industry: Marjolein Bastin, Mary Engelbreit, Susan Branch, Dee Gruenig, Suze Weinberg, Kelly Rae Roberts, Princess Lasertron, Curly Girl Design. These wonderful ladies are proof that one can pursue one’s artistic passion and thrive. (For those who wonder: “Where’s Martha Stewart?” Martha Inc. influenced my opinion of her too much.) Where Women Create Magazine continues to inspire me and keep me believing that I, too, can have a thriving artsy venture in the near future.

Honorable mention:

Family and loyal friends: (whom I couldn’t sum up in 5 bullets as my Christmas address list made clear) #3 would’ve been hell without them.

The ghosts of relationships past (including friendships, teachers, colleagues): like Christina Aguilera’s Fighter, each one made me stronger and taught me to love and honor myself more.

Music: It calms, empowers, energizes, moves you physically, puts feelings into lyrics when you can’t express yourself. I’ve had a few theme songs throughout the years. “The Good Life” by One Republic sums up this year.

Thoughts: Ultimately, it all comes down to what is in your head and how you respond to situations. I’ve let my mind pull me down a lot, and am working hard on keeping my thoughts positive and uplifting as much as possible. Princess Lasertron’s prompters are key to sticking to happy thoughts.

• What kind of influence do you want to be on the world?
• How do you feel about the power you have to influence people?
• Does anything have too much influence on you?

Let’s be positive influencers today!