“Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation.” –John Wooden

As people, we tend worry more about the ways we can change the views of others towards us rather than focus on the things we need to change to make ourselves a better person. As we get older we realize that the people we let into our everyday lives on a consistent basis are the ones who are most influential to our character. I have always made it an important goal in my life to surround myself with people I aspire to be like. Sincerity, humility, and tranquility are traits I value most in people because not only are they the traits I most wish to attain and be encompassed with by the friends and family in my life but I also believe that without them we would be superficial and self-absorbed.
“People are like stained glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.” –Elizabeth Kuber- Ross

Since kindergarten we have always been taught that when you finish a letter your closing should include words like sincerely, but we aren’t truly being sincere because it was just something we were taught to write. The harsh reality in life is that people are getting better and better at making empty promises and not caring about any life but their own. When our lives are intertwined in each other’s we should be able to trust that our bond won’t be broken by empty words and immature or careless actions. I grew up at a young age and realized that as I have gotten older I am able to identify the difference between genuine sincerity and sincerity as just as signature to an action. My father is one of the most charming people you will ever meet and he has a way with words that will make you believe any and everything he says but his actions never correspond. Now that I am older I am able to show him that I don’t need him and even though it is hard it makes me a better person because I am not surrounded by his influence and condescending smile. Sincerity is more than a few pretty words and a laugh, it’s not letting one another walk alone in darkness but guiding each other past the darkness and reaching the light knowing that it was our strength that got us through it.
“Pride is concerned with who is right. Humility is concerned with what is right.” – Ezra Taft Benzon

In school, two of the most frequently asked questions are “What score did you get?” or “What is your grade in this class?” Students tend to ask these questions because we either don’t want to feel like we are the only one who scored low or we want to feel better about ourselves because we scored higher than someone else. When we do this we don’t even realize that we humble ourselves less and less and lose a sense of humility. No one should have to feel pressure like this in school especially if it is in a friendship or relationship that we are asked questions of the same degree. I always feel like it is a competition and everyone is trying to one-up each other or that I am being judged if my score was lower than yours. The thing I love about my friends is that instead of always searching to find who did better or worse than themselves, they focus on accepting what they got and aim to do better in the future and improve and learn from their mistakes. They find peace in themselves and find that improvement where we lack ambition will make all other obstacles less challenging.
“I always find beauty in things that are odd and imperfect- they are much more interesting.” –Marc Jacobs

Even though we all wish things could go according to plan the statistics of that occurring all the time is slim to none. This has always been one of the hardest challenges I have had to accept. I have always had an extreme sense of OCD in all aspects of my life which causes me to need things to go perfectly and as smoothly as possible. Finding tranquility when my clothes aren’t in color order or someone misses a cue during a show is extremely hard but when I see that those around me aren’t aggravated by the spontaneity of the situation it helps me calm down and realize that it isn’t as devastating as it seems. Learning to master the art of tranquility has decreased my occurrence of stress in uncomfortable situations and increased my acceptance of laughter and change in the uncontrollable moments. The support of friends and family creates a genuinely helpful environment because they all know how to stay calm in situations that tend to frustrate me. I really admire those who care enough to be nervous and relaxed enough to understand. They show me that life is not about control but more about learning to adjust and have trust in fate.
“That’s the thing about inner beauty: unlike physical beauty, which grabs the spotlight for itself, inner beauty shines on everyone, catching them, holding them in its embrace, making them more beautiful too.”-Unknown

Truth be told surround yourself with people whose personalities you want to reflect in your own because they will make you genuinely beautiful inside and out. If there were three aspects of my life I would want someone to value in me they would be sincerity, humility, and tranquility because they show strength and a genuine love from within. Life is more than living in the moment, it is remembering and embracing in the moments lived with those you cherish and value around you. Knowing that I can improve myself just by being around amazing people gives me hope for not just myself but for others I know.