“Circles of Influence” (7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE): The concept is that each of us has a specific “circle of influence” that gets smaller or larger as we go through life. When we are born our circle is very small. As we grow older and have more interaction with other people, things, etc. our circle grows larger.

Some of us decide to keep our circle small while others seek to make it as large as they can possibly make it assuming that the bigger the circle, the larger the influence and thus  more control! These situations continue through middle age and into our older ages.

This “older age circle” is the one I want to consider today. I’m an outgoing people loving person so my circle of influence is big! I see that not as  a situation of power but as one of responsibility! I’ve increased the size of my circle by consciously trying to help people. And this will continue until I die.

In the last couple of years though, I’ve become less interested in “birthdays”, anniversaries, and all activities of “other people” to include families. I used to never miss an opportunity to send cards on every holiday or event in other people’s lives that I was closely involved with! Now I miss some here and there. I don’t worry about it any more. It isn’t that I don’t care. It isn’t that I’m forgetful (and No! I’m not getting Alzheimer’s disease). It is because I’m closing my circle, slowly.

We ALL DO THIS whether it is on purpose or just by necessity based on lack of ability to do and think as much as we used to be able to. Is it selfish? No, it is just because we can only do so much, and we have to save our resources to do “What is most important” (7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE) to our well-being for as long as we can.

At this point our circle will continue to get smaller until is exactly as big as it was just before we were born.

So, is that the end of our influence? Ha! Well, that depends on how we are “remembered”! Our circle will grow or shrink depending on what those people we leave behind think/ or thought of us.

I want to leave a HUGE circle that continues to grow with all the positiveness and happiness it can hold near to exploding limits!

HOW ABOUT YOU! TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR CIRCLE…………..LIKE WHAT YOU SEE? 

If your answer is NO, now would be a great time to pump some stuff into it!