Positive Peer Pressure

Whenever someone thinks of peer pressure they tend to think of it in the negative sense but like everything in this life peer pressure can be positive. Have you ever wondered why you were allowed to cross paths with some wonderful individuals that became really close friends and who have nothing but a positive impact on your soul? Yes, me too and since the pandemic, I have been taking note of these individuals more keenly. I am so grateful for these delightful individuals who have pushed me towards being my best self and believed in me even when I had my doubts. Let’s highlight five tips that we can all meditate on which can help us to help our friends become their best selves.

Push your friend- apply the pressure to any dreams they speak to you about. Sometimes our friends consult us for our encouragement but we sometimes turn down their ideas. This can be very discouraging. If a friend comes to you about an idea they have, help them to assess it. Ask questions to see if they have it figured out and if they believe strongly that they can achieve it. This will prove to them that you are not only interested in your dreams but also in their dreams. Sometimes that push is you being present; be a present friend.

Expose them to opportunities- sometimes you’re scrolling on social media and you see opportunities that you know your friend would benefit from. Many people would not have acquired several achievements if it wasn’t for friends who have exposed them to those opportunities by encouraging them to try or apply. When you constantly share opportunities with your friends it shows how much you value their self-improvement towards upward mobility.

Share your self-improvement ideas- any success I want for myself I definitely want it for my friends. Whatever ideas you can think of that will make you a better individual in society I think you should share them with your friends. It’s all about winning while your friends are winning too and the joy it brings for you all to be achieving and moving forward. Remember you do not have to acquire things at the same time but never stop pressuring them into acquiring them, when they are ready or if they seem like they forget.

Encourage them to make better decisions- if you love your friend you will not sit and watch them make bad decisions and not address them. Now, I know you do not have the last say but constantly encouraging them into doing the right thing is what friendship is all about. Yes, it’s their life, one that you are a part of and if you care enough there are ways in which to approach your friend in a calm way that can open their eyes to the decisions they are making. Sometimes when an individual is caught up in a situation they are unable to see the dangers lurking but if you see it, don’t ignore it. Encourage that friend, they need you even if they think they don’t.

Put a stop to gossiping- personally, I do not like to gossip. Some people make it a priority and if they don’t gossip it is as if they are living their lives with no purpose. Gossiping involves unconfined information about people and it tends to spread faster than good news. Imagine your name being the hot topic for others' conversations and think about how it would make you feel. Blowing out another’s light doesn’t make yours shine brighter and we are all about shining right here!

Having a positive impact on someone’s life gives me this rush that makes me want to repeat the act. It feels good to be a good person and friend. It feels even better to know that on your journey you have people that you can influence to be better too. In a world where positives and negatives are constantly in a war choose to be on the positive side. It still pays to do good deeds and good deeds don’t go unnoticed, I promise, someone is watching. Apply positive pressure nuh man!

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