In Dale Carnegie's book, How to Win Friends and Influence People, one of his tips for being the type of person that other people want to be around is to express a genuine interest in the lives of others.
My mom has always told me that if I'm ever in a situation where I don't know what to say to someone, ask them questions about themselves. This piece of advice has saved me from many awkward silences and gained me many lasting friendships.
But it's about more than simply putting on a front so that other people will stick around and want to talk to you. It's part of the larger package of thinking outside of yourself. That is something that we as humans struggle with on a consistently because I believe we are naturally egocentric. Our favorite topic is ourselves.
But practicing the skill of thinking outside of your own immediate wants and desires is so important. This kind of goes along with my philosophy on love; it feels good to know that you're making someone else feel good (insert a sexual comparison here if you're having trouble following me). It is something that I try to practice daily.
I know that I am quite far from perfect and I know that I have a lot to work on, so it helps me to have a written reminder of my goals and the practices I try to maintain in order to become the type of person I want to be.
Luckily we have the opportunity to constantly reevaluate who we are and make changes. It's never too late. I'm so thankful for that.
Here's to a good September :)
Love, M
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