Influences and Role Modles

Before I begin, please know that I am not writing this post to offend anyone, but I do believe I have the right to voice my opinion like everyone else :)

The power of being an influence on someone is a big responsibility. The way you chose to act can influence the way others act. You are their role model, and their actions reflect yours.

I have had people, older and younger, look up to me. Often, its not so much my actions that they admire, but my heart. They are smart enough to pick out my strengths and let that part of me influence them, not my flaws.

We ALL have flaws and weakness'. That is what makes us human. None of us are perfect, or close to it.

In relation to me; I know people on my facebook page admire the way I help orphans. This pride allows them to adopt my habits. Well, some of them. They see that I help orphans and they like it. They admire it. And they follow it.

So what when they see that I have gone out that weekend and had a few drinks?

They admire me, right? Does that mean they are going to adopt ALL my habits?

Yes, I have flaws. Yes, they see that. No, they don't follow that.

By admire me, they admire my strengths, not my weakness.

So, going from a teenage girl who has the power to influence a few, to a superstar who has the power to influences millions....

You all know I LOVE LOVE LOVE Katy Perry.

And yes, I admire her very very much.

Does that make ME a bad person?

Does that make HER a bad person?

...no

"You don't have to feel like a waste of space
You're original, cannot be replaced
If you only knew what the future holds
After a hurricane comes a rainbow"

Now, that is a positive thing, right? I don't see how AT ALL that can be taken in a negative way.

So, we admire a strength. Its there, in an entire song! Encouraging people to stand up for what they believe in. It is influential. It is powerful. It is amazing.

Yet, read this...

(Since its release on October 28, 2010, the official “Firework” music video has had nearly 220 million hits on YouTube. The lyrics certainly sound inspirational – “You don’t have to feel like a waste of space. You’re an original, cannot be replaced.” Yet when one views the video, amidst all the other story lines you will see a young man off by himself in the club…only to have his “firework” burst out of him – giving him courage to walk across the room and kiss another guy. The message being conveyed here is that it’s okay to express yourself – even when those expressions are morally wrong. Is that really the ‘inspiration’ today’s teenagers need?)

Well, YES! It is the inspiration we need! We NEED to know it's ok to express how we feel. And morally wrong... to you yes, but clearly not to that person! WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT BELIEFS! That doesn't mean you should be going telling someone that they are doing the wrong thing. I'm not going to get into the whole gay marriage thing. This is not about that. Its about influences. Its about these lyrics. Yes they influence. Yes, they may be morally wrong to you, but not to the people Katy Perry is aiming this song at.

So, how about when we switch the song?

"I kissed a girl and I liked it"

Well, it may be morally wrong to you, but to others its a bit of fun.

I'm sorry, but its the truth.

Katy Perry talks about going out and getting drunk every Friday night.

Morally wrong again? That is to YOU!

We CAN pick and choose what parts of people we want to be influenced by.

We can choose if we actually want to follow the message they are implying in the song, or weather we just actually like the song.

My advice?

Always live up to YOUR morals. NOT someone Else's.

Choose what you admire about them and set your own standards.

Live your life to please yourself. Not your best friend. Or your idol.

Having the power to influence is a great responsibility, but we can not spend our lives worrying if we are going to influence people in the wrong way.

Live to your standard, follow your heart and dreams.

Read this post and take away what you found to be the postive parts. If you didn't find it postive in any way then look at it as a waste of time, I really don't care.

Just know, that what people are influenced by is in their hands, not yours, so don't live your life for them!