Be your best self.

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We all have heroes and role models whom we admire. There are certain traits or characteristics that draw us to someone. I think it’s safe to say that most of us are drawn to people who are kind, outgoing, honest, loyal, and brave.

Small Detour to Talk About Smiling

Are you drawn to people who smile? I know I’m drawn to them like a freaking magnet. In fact, I rarely walk away from them without a smile of my own.

My Grandma always said, “Keep smiling, it will make people wonder what you’ve been up to.”

I need to make a more conscious effort to smile. It’s the best tool I have to communicate friendship and happiness; and according to my Grandma, mischievousness. Are you smiling right now? If not I have 3 life changing words for you: Can’t Touch This.

Now Back To Qualities We Admire

We all have people in our lives that have some type of positive impact on us. If you feel like you don’t, reevaluate the people around you. It might be time for a change of peer scenery. Or it might be time for a change of how we see people. We need to seek out people who stand for something. People who possess the qualities we admire so much. Sometimes those qualities can even be found in inanimate objects like brands or fictional characters.

I thought long and hard and picked 4 things or people that possess the qualities I strive to obtain in my life and I challenge you to do the same. Here they are in no particular order.

  • Nike (the brand) – Creative, powerful, the ability to create positive change, no excuses.
  • My Dad (the person) – A great friend, the exact same person with money or without, a sponge for knowledge.
  • My Grandma (the person) – Never wavering, faithful through all trials, she is truly enduring to the end.
  • Superman (the superhero) – A life of service, charity, and looks great in spandex.

My core values shine through pretty clearly as I review the list I made.

  • I want to be creative and share my creations with those people who will appreciate them. I want to use that creativity to instill positive change.
  • I want to avoid making excuses.
  • I never want money, or a lack thereof, to change who I am.
  • I want to constantly be learning.
  • I want to be a good friend and focus on serving and helping the people around me.
  • I never want to give up, no matter what.
  • I want to look great in blue spandex J

Those examples give me a very clear picture of what I strive to be, and now that I know, I can start creating the path to achieving it.

Make Your Journey Personal

After recognizing what exactly we strive to become, it’s ultimately our responsibility to go out and get it. We can learn from these people, and brands, and superheroes, but we need to find our own way to achieve that end.

We need to learn as much as we can from these great examples, but we need to be very careful not to compare ourselves with them. This journey isn’t about being Steven Covey, or Robin Hood, or Steve Jobs. This journey is about becoming the best Y-O-U. A wise friend once told me, “Be comfortable in your own skin.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

YOUR WAY IS THE RIGHT WAY.

1.       Identify what draws you to people.

2.       Smile.

3.       Make a specific list of what you strive to be.

4.       Learn from people who exemplify what you strive to be.

5.       Pave your own path (find what works for you).

6.       Be your best self.

You can find more ramblings from Ryan at No More Bacon, a blog where he attempts to cut the fat from his waistline, wallet, relationships, and more. He wants to be better today than he was yesterday and is willing to try just about anything to pull it off. Follow the madness.

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Comments

  5. You are such a great inspirational and motivational writer, Miz. I know it’s going to be a good day when I see your posts first thing in the morning.

    It is truly what I am trying to do, be my best me, no matter what. I just keep trying, changing, tweaking, making things work for me.

    Thanks for brighting my day!

  8. One thing that draws me to people is a perception of their open-ness. Not necessarily have to be an open mind though that’s a high mark. But the ability to shine a light through the darkness. Sometimes it’s just a projection but you can get people to gather and find like minds and gifted spirits. You are like this. Your light shines through and we can all see better for it.

    I gotta go work on my list.
    I do know my grandmother is on it for similar reasons.

  9. Our grandmas were raised from the same stock..She is my SUPERHERO… always has been…and she is with me everyday..still….in my heart hotel…

    Thank you Miz and thank you RYAN…for the reminders, as usual, what is most important…

    Spandex…

    I mean your best self….

  10. Great post & much to learn & take away! Although th spandex thing kept reminding me of the What Not to Wear episode from last Friday! The lady wore one piece spandex jumpsuits non stop.. she bought them at the adult store! 😉

  11. This is lovely.

    When I think about what draws me to a person or a thing, it’s the quality of REAL-ness. Honesty and an unwillingness to do what everyone else is doing for the sake of it. I really admire when a person or a brand etc goes out there and does its own thing because that’s what it BELIEVES in.

    The funny thing is, I didn’t know it at the time when I created my blogs name – Living Healthy in the Real World.

  13. Your list couldn’t have come at a better time. I’m needing some “re-examine me” time. I’m using your latest post as a guide to get me started. Thanks!

  16. I have renewed my effort at surrounding myself with positive people that exemplify what I want in life. Sadly, that’s mostly online people right now, but hey, it’s better than nothing. I’ve also put more distance between myself and negative people in my ‘real’ life. I got places to go, goals to tackle, I need all the positivity I can get right now! *smiles*

  17. I liked this post a lot – and I agree with Kerri O., I’m trying hard to surround myself with positive people, but there are days I find most of my “positive-ness” online. I do smile all the time, so I have that one nailed and I am trying really, really hard to be the peace and positive energy for others that I desire to receive. I do think the universe does indeed send a lot my way.

    On a very personal note that you may not want to answer, how come you didn’t list your mom? I always am curious what makes people pick or not pick their moms – I also notice that these same people tend to be the best moms I know and I wonder if it’s because they’ve made a conscious decision to make that their goal in life? I know that is true for me.

  18. thank you!! and thank you Ryan!! this is an awesome article, seriously.

    and thanks for making me giggle… superman… looks great in spandex. which is also something we should all want. seriously. 😀

  19. I love (spandex) your list Ryan. I love (spandex) the idea of going out there and being the YOU and not trying to be the best (insert name here). I love (spandex) the concept of smiling. I used to not do it sp often but now I’m always laughing and smiling and it is wonderful.

    I love (spandex) you.

  22. It’s funny – I once had a friend who told me that she immediately knew that she and I would be great friends the first time she saw me. The reason? I wasn’t smiling. She said I looked grim, determined and fierce. And she hates people that smile all the time. Strangely I was not flattered by this. Although I did learn from it – I can appear very serious and, sometimes, grouchy so now I make a conscious effort to drop my shoulders, relax my face and smile:) Thanks for the reminder Miz!

  24. Bacon, did someone say bacon? Yeah, I like me some bacon. But bacon that says things like, “Make Your Journey Personal”, now that is some smart bacon. Bravo!

  25. Okay, I already was smiling, but had to click the link anyway.

    NMB and MizFit are the perfect combo over here. Positivity AND Reality.

    Oh. And I love spandex.

  26. Love this! I thought it was a Miz blog until I read to the end. 🙂

    I try to smile at random people, if for no other reason than I know I’ve been grumpy and having a bad day, some random stranger smiling at me can bring me out of it. I try to smile while running outside to show people that running can be fun.

    And I’m sure you can rock the blue spandex. 🙂 Next Halloween, perhaps?

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