The Power of Influence

Hello Friends!

It is Good Friday, and for some of us, its just a bank holiday but for a lot of us its a treasured Christian Holiday. Whatever you decide to take it as, I hope you all have a fantastic day :).
Today I am discussing Influence. This may be a take a topic that in a lot of cases gets over looked or taken lightly, however for me, I have really looked deep into the issue following some recent events that have occurred in my life.

What is an influence? It is the ability to effect the character, development or behaviour of someone or something. (I literally googled it!) But I could not think of a better way of describing what it is.
Influence moulds you. It is the reason why and where you are today. Especially in regards to your character, preferences and tastes, some where along the line, something or someone influenced you to make certain choices.
Something that has been a recent discussion over the internet is the power of media influence, particularly Social Media. Someone like myself, is referred to as an Online Influencer, and in fact its actually becoming a job title for many. When I make beauty, fashion or any related videos, people are influenced to purchase for example or even develop their beauty and style techniques to be somewhat relatable to mine, because I 'influenced' them to do so and so are the 10000000s of YouTubers and Online influencers , big or small out there!

But how are we influenced in our lives? What shapes our personalities, perceptions, characters, growths, appearance and everything that makes us, us?

When I was growing up, I had considerably a decent life. I am very grateful, was not as fortunate as some however I was never deprived. I was brought up on a Council Estate, by grounded African parents. My father had a good business that unfortunately did not end up too well, my mother was a working woman also. So instantly, my influence in my life from my parents, is to work hard. However, I did have other influences from perhaps friends at school and even other family members that also had the power to influence me to make wrong choices. For me, it was all apart of the journey of this thing called life, and I had to learn for myself, the best way and route to take through trials and tribulations, lessons, meeting and talking with different types of people, and ultimately teaching myself to becoming the best woman I could be.
As a teenager, my influence was not positive at all. I wished I had someone to look up to that influenced me to make better choices. A lot of things I had to develop and learn on my own because there was simply no one that could influence me (positively) to making the best out of myself. Yes there were people... but as I am grown and look back.. their influences were not good and therefore my path was leading to destruction. Now, I cannot push the blame on others I also take full responsibility for my own actions, however, the essence of this is INFLUENCE, and at a very fragile stage in life which is teenage hood no matter how perfect an upbringing can be, you may be influenced through some type of cause to do what you perceive to be is best. Take for example Kylie Jenner (I love her!) at 17, she caused a huge uproar about having lip injections and to be in a relationship with an 'older man', I believe although it is her own choice, she is influenced by that type of lifestyle from her family of course... no they did not push her to do so, and no they did not tell her, but if thats what she is surrounded by, where do you think her influence came from? She may not even realise it, and its not just her family, its perhaps what she sees on the internet, its perhaps her friends? At some point, it was an influence that stirred this?
I could go on an on and on about the power of influence in my life and how it has effected me... I may possibly make a video on it. But overall, the essence of this post is for you to understand, what you are surrounded by, ultimately moulds and shapes you. And this can either make or break you. I believe for me, my initial influences would have broken me, but thank God, I got 'positive' influence from good company and good friends (eventually), my aspirations, perceptions and life choices changed.
To cut a long story short, I could have been a bum, ratchet, wreckless individual LOL! However, God placed amazing people in my circle and therefore my aspirations in life is to now become hard working, elegant, classy, my lifestyle has changed, my dress sense, the way I talk, the places I go.. and for me it has been a positive spin and I am content with this lifestyle.

What influences you? Who influences you? Is it positive or negative... Is it YOU? For me, I realised my initial influences was not even me or my taste and I have developed or at least I am still developing into a greater version of myself.