😂🧠 WHAT’S YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCE?
Let’s be honest… none of us became who we are completely by ourselves. 👀
We’re influenced by family, friends, relationships, social media, culture, music, entertainment, past experiences, trauma, and yes… spiritual influences. 👻
And some influences are GOOD.
Others got you making decisions that make you look back like, “Lord… I KNOW You gave me better sense than this.” 😂🤦🏾♂️
Then there’s social media…
You can wake up feeling blessed, scroll for 10 minutes, and suddenly you’re angry at somebody you’ve never met, diagnosing strangers, questioning your relationship, and considering moving to another state. 😂😂
But here’s the part we don’t always want to hear:
Influence is not the same as control.
People can influence you, but they don’t get to make your choices for you.
Your mama influenced you.
Your friends influenced you.
Your favorite preacher influenced you.
The algorithm definitely influenced you. 😂
But YOU still have to answer for what YOU choose.
The Bible says, “Bad company corrupts good character.” — 1 Corinthians 15:33
Translation: If you keep hanging around foolishness, eventually foolishness is going to start feeling like home. 😂
Romans 12:2 tells us to renew our minds.
So ask yourself:
👉🏾 Who has my ear?
👉🏾 What has my attention?
👉🏾 What am I constantly consuming?
👉🏾 Is it making me more like Christ or more like everybody else?
Because everybody speaking into your life does NOT deserve a microphone. 🎤😂
And just because somebody says, “God told me…” doesn’t mean God told YOU. 👀
Influence may explain your behavior, but it doesn't remove your responsibility.
At the end of the day, you still gotta own your choices.
So choose your influences wisely.
Because what you repeatedly listen to, watch, tolerate, and entertain can eventually start shaping who you become.
And if your whole circle is confused… you might wanna check the GPS. 😂🙏🏾💯
In my own experience, recognizing the difference between influence and control was a turning point for personal growth. Initially, I believed external factors completely dictated my actions, especially the constant flood of social media content that often swayed my mood and decisions. For example, I used to wake up feeling grateful and motivated, but after a short scroll on platforms filled with negativity or unrealistic portrayals, I found myself questioning my life choices and relationships more than once. What helped me was adopting a mindful approach to the influences I expose myself to daily. Asking questions like, “Who has my ear?” and “What am I constantly consuming?” became vital in filtering out toxic influences and focusing on those that nurture wisdom, faith, and positivity. I started intentionally following thought leaders, spiritual teachers, and communities that inspired transformation rather than confusion or comparison. This change also meant stepping back to evaluate my social circles. The biblical saying “Bad company corrupts good character” truly resonated as I noticed how surrounding myself with pessimistic or careless people affected my mindset and decisions. Moreover, renewing my mind as Romans 12:2 encourages became practical: through prayer, meditation on scripture, and limiting exposure to manipulative algorithms online. It’s important to remember that while influences are everywhere—family, friends, culture, entertainment, and trauma—it all comes down to personal responsibility and choice. Choosing your influences wisely means being intentional about what shapes your mind because your mind will shape your life. The results have been profound—I feel more grounded, empowered to make decisions aligning with my values, and better equipped to resist unhelpful pressures. To anyone feeling overwhelmed by external voices, I recommend taking stock of your daily intake and consciously steering your attention towards what builds you up spiritually and emotionally. Remember, influence explains behavior but does not remove accountability; your choices define who you become.
