How Others Are Powerfully Influencing You?

Have you ever stopped to think about who is influencing you?

If we are what we eat… we’re also the other things we digest on a regular basis.

Who are the people that you follow on Twitter and Instagram, watch on TV, read in magazines and listen via Podcasts?

Who do you admire and think highly of? Do you actively follow them?
Who do you secretly follow because they’re train wrecks and you believe they make your life seem better? Fess up!

Are you consciously picking the people who may be subconsciously playing a powerful role in your life?

When I was interviewing women entrepreneurs for my book Women Entrepreneur Revolution I asked them a variety of questions on motivation, their strengths, their role models and how they juggled it all. They were all strong, confident, and authentic women and quite honestly they were a joy to speak with.

I wish I could spend all day chatting it up with them. As a result of having weekly conversations and writing about them for my book I felt like my own life made significant changes. I felt stronger. I exuded more confidence. I am become more authentically me!

Our exchanges may have been brief but the culmination of several conversations (over one hundred, in fact) and researching other successful women has changed me for the better.

I feel lucky to have created this experience for myself however many other women starting or running a business are doing it alone and don’t have empowered women as models of success.

Many women don’t realize just how many amazing women business owners are out there doing remarkable work. They often have their heads down hustling away day in and day out. Look – role models, mentors and peer support are not just going to fall from the sky be beacons to show you the exact way to success.

Truth is – you need to search them out.
Good news – they’re everywhere.

With our TV shows filled with cat fights and violence, our magazines full of unrealistic portrayals of the “ideal” woman and our media criticizing powerful women– for, well, being powerful– it’s easy for all this negativity to pour into our unconscious unfiltered.

Left unchecked, many women feel defeated, unsupported, weak and unable to think bigger than what they perceive is possible.

But we can in fact filter it. It’s a choice and a powerful one that you can make immediately.

Ask yourself:

:: What media am I dialed into daily, weekly or monthly?
:: Who do I follow on social media or follow on their blogs?
:: What magazines do I read or mindlessly flip through?
:: What reality shows am I consuming?
:: What TV dramas and comedies am I a fan of?
:: Where do I get my news?
:: What TV series do I binge watch when I have down time?
:: Who’s coming into my email inbox regularly?
:: What celebrities do I tend to be drawn to and read about frequently?
:: Who do I surround myself with – friends, family, community, peers?

And the most powerful question you can ask:

How do I feel AFTER I’m exposed to each of these?

It all adds up.

Don’t underestimate the power all these factors play on your psyche and on your own success. I’m not saying you have to toss out your TV, disconnect from the Internet and become a media hermit, but I am imploring you to become aware of who and what may be whispering in your ear and influencing who you are and who you could become.

So what’s a girl to do?

:: Do some good ol’ fashion research and find women who inspire you and who you can learn from. Read up on them. Follow them. They’re out there, you just have to look.
:: Look for women who are doing what you want to be doing. They might be just a few steps or a few years ahead of you.
:: Reach out and get to know them. Listen to their stories, ask for insights, and seek advice. (Don’t forget to give something in return for the their time. Be creative.)
:: Seek out leaders in your industry and those inspiring gals in other fields. Follow them on social media and read their biographies or articles written on or by them.
:: Every week read an article written on someone you have never heard of who is making a difference either in business or in the community.
:: Find shows where the women are in a leadership or empowered role, even if they’re not the lead, sometimes they are great female co-stars.
:: Find, join or start a Mastermind group where you come together to positively support, guide and help one another in business and in life. Check out ours.

These are just some simple modifications that can have a lasting and profound impact on you.

Becoming conscious of adding positive, empowering examples of women will subtly begin to shift how you look at your own life and inspire you to reach further than you ever thought possible.

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