Living to Inspire, not Impress

I have this desire in life to impress others and I have no idea where it comes from.  This desire affects the car I want to drive, the clothes I want to wear, the house I want to live in, and even the coffee I drink.  The sad thing is, that the car will rust and lose value, the clothes will wear out and become outdated, and the coffee doesn’t taste any better.

Minimalism isn’t about your stuff, it’s about your soul – the ‘you’ underneath all that stuff

Brian Gardner

Fact is, the purchases of yesterday, often to impress others, will make no impression today!

Many people are always trying to fill a void that is ever growing and cycling back around for the next new thing.  Wanting what the neighbor has that you think will make you happy.  But instead, you are gaining more personal debt, and working harder to impress people with things you can’t even enjoy, because you’re to busy working.  This is a sad reality for many of us.

But the question is, who are we really trying to impress? Stop and think about that. Who is the first person you think of? I bet it isn’t the neighbor with the home they can’t afford! More than likely, the people who truly impress and inspire us have qualities we admire, not things.

I compiled a list of ways to impress people

• Modesty ~ this is freedom from vanity and boastfulness. The more you practice this the more people will notice.
• Live to Inspire, not impress ~ inspire people daily with acts of kindness and you will leave a lasting impression that actually means more than what you drive or wear.
• Gratefulness ~ a grateful heart will always inspire others.
• Encouragement ~ to encourage another and help them achieve a goal is always inspiring.
• Contentment ~ this is an enjoyable way of life and those who don’t have it will be inspired by how you achieved it.
• Positivity ~ focus on all the positives in your life and you will attract like minded people to your circle to inspire.
• Smile ~ smiles attract and inspire and a frown will push people away.

The best thing about this list is no money or purchase of anything is required! Each and every one of us has the ability to inspire and make life a great journey.  We all need to stop trying to impress friends and neighbors with what we purchase and instead, inspire with the life we lead.