Traits of my Biggest Role Models

We all have role models, whether we realize it or not. People we look up to for guidance or direction. That person may not even know that they are a role model to you, but they are. And that is what I want to write about this week. We do not really have a choice whether or not to have role models, it is built inside our brains to automatically find something about someone that we want to mimic. But, what we do have a choice about is who we look to and what traits they showcase for us to follow. Role models are so important in each of our lives whether we are six, sixteen, or forty-six. Who we look up to can often determine how we succeed in life, how we handle situations, and how we treat others around us. For this reason, it is vital that each of us dig deep into the world of people and pick out the positive traits to follow. So, here is a list of some things that my role models are thriving in:

Kindness- One thing I ALWAYS look for in a role model is kindness. How they treat other people whom they may not even know. How they treat the new guest at church or the grumpy cashier. How they react when someone responds to them negatively—do they snap back with negativity or react positively? My role models are the kindest people I have ever met, and I strive to be like them. In fact, they find their greatest enjoyment in being kind; it’s almost a hobby to them. Being kind just once can literally change someone’s life, so why not find people who make you strive to be kind every day? People who thrive with kindness are loved by everyone because they throw it around like confetti!

Joy- I like to think of joy as, “having happiness even when you cannot find a reason to” People with joy are constantly smiling and even on their bad days are pleasing to be around. Joy is such a rare character quality—I mean seriously who wants to be happy when McDonalds did not put enough creamer in your coffee?? 😉 A joyful spirit is often contagious too! They lighten everyone’s day around them. You would never know about their bad days—not only because of their attitude, but also because they do not go looking for sympathy on social media (oops was that too harsh?). As obvious as it sounds, joyful people are just a joy to be around because they are smiling and spreading happiness every chance they get.

Compassion- Ahh this one! One thing we can all strive for and work on is compassion. My biggest role models have a compassionate or “motherly” attitude. In other words, a compassionate person forgives quickly and easily, contains a love for every person they meet, and sympathizes with others who are hurting They have a motherly attitude about them meaning unforgiveness is not in their dictionary. A mother adores her children and no matter what they do she will always love and forgive them. She may not always agree with their decisions or actions but will love and forgive them regardless. Someone with compassion makes others feel important because compassionate people are simply made of love. Not to stereotype but often times, the most compassionate individuals are the older folks who have experienced life and taken walks down your roads before. Love takes time to grow and develop which is why it is something we all have to work on. Hate comes more naturally to humans than compassion which is sad but leaves room for improvement in all of us. A fully compassionate person can be hard to find but, trust me they are out there and are so important to have in your life!

Servanthood- Another important trait to look for in at least one of your role models is servanthood. Some may even put it as humility. Sometimes our role models are highly thought of people: pastors, celebrities, teachers, leaders, and other people who have a high “status” for people to look up to. But, one of the most important traits that those people can have is a servant’s heart. They do not mind doing the small things in life that may never get recognized. No matter how “high and mighty” they may be. When I think of this trait, the person that comes to my mind is my pastor’s wife. One day I walked into the lady’s bathroom after church and she was in there digging through the cabinets. I soon realized that she was searching for toilet paper to re-fill all of the stalls. I found it most humbling that even the highest lady in our church is not too good to change the toilet paper rolls. No, it wasn’t a job that would have gotten noticed, or praised for, she just did it because it needed done. I then began to notice little things that she does around church that would otherwise go unnoticed. Now, I am not saying that in order to have a servant’s heart, you have to be “high and mighty.” Not at all! Often times the most servant-hearted-people are not even noticed. They live under the radar from everyone’s praise and compliments and never go searching for fame and glory. They are the people that keep the world turning without any recognition. So, servant-heartedness is a trait you really have to dig for and observe in order to find.

Comical- Of course, good role models are not stone-faced and business minded 24/7. While it is good to have role models who know how to be serious and run things the way they need to be run, laughter is such an important part of our lives. Studies have shown that people who smile and laugh are physically healthier than people like Wednesday Adams. Someone who knows how to lighten the mood at any moment can be life saving in a tense situation. Comical people are the ones that everyone enjoys seeing at family events because they know how to make everyone around them enjoy time together.

Respected- Find someone who is well respected among their piers and people around them. Then ask yourself some questions like, “How do they handle being respected?” “How did they become so well respected?” “What do they not do that makes them different from average joe?” This is also a trait you will have to dig and observe to really absorb. For instance, maybe it is a teacher that everyone thinks highly of and respects—how did they get to that position? Did they become respected through tyranny or love? Do they handle it with an attitude as if they are superior to all or with an attitude compassion? I think it can be easy to figure out who is respected out of fear and who is respected out of love. Here’s a silly but applicable example: A few years ago I had a red merle Australian shepherd named Sadie. Now, my dad is not the biggest animal person if you know what I mean. Anytime he wanted Sadie to do something (such as get out of the garage or quit barking) he would use sharp words and angry tones. It honestly did not matter what it was he always used the same harsh tone towards her. Well, naturally Sadie developed a “respect” for my dad, anytime she saw him coming she got out of the way immediately for fear of being yelled at and developed a hatred towards my dad. However, she respected his orders. Presently, I have a different Australian shepherd whose name is Finley. I am not really sure what it was but with Finley, things were different as a puppy. My dad would pet him and gently talk to him on occasion; naturally, Finley developed a liking or “respect” for my dad. Anytime Finley misbehaved, dad got on to him and Finley understood that he had done wrong, but he still loved my dad and wanted to be petted afterwards. The difference is one dog respected out of fear, and the other out of love. A good, respected role model has that respect because he/she is loved by everyone, not because he abuses his power.

Positive- These people know how to stay strong in the worst of times. They know how to make the sun shine anytime they please and for that reason, it seems to always shine around them. They are always “looking on the bright side” and constantly smiling. We can all admit that negativity gets annoying, especially when you are having a good day and an individual shows up and rains on your parade. While some thrive on it, others despise it, and they are the ones you want to find. This one could go hand in hand with joy, but look for someone whose main character trait is positivity. It can be hard in this dark and gloomy world, but they are out there I promise. A positively minded person will teach you that there is good in every circumstance.

As you have probably gathered, you should have more than one role model in life. As a matter of fact, you should not have one specific type of role model either. You should have a variety of people each with different personalities and qualities until each of these example traits are filled. But, this can also go the other way to. You, whether you realize it or not, are a role model. So, if you found something in this text that you feel like you could improve, work on it! People are looking to you too whether you want to or not. The question is, what do you want them to learn from you?