To Influence or to Be Influenced!?

Do We Really Like Being Told What to Do?

Who actually enjoys instructions like: do it this way, choose that, listen to what others say, show, and do as we said? Probably no one at least not openly. And yet, “probably” is the key word. We influence each other all the time, sometimes without noticing, and at best consciously. It’s neither good nor bad. It’s human. What matters is what that influence creates: does it manipulate, or does it support growth? Because one thing is clear, everything around us is developing and changing.

What Shapes Us Every Day

What influences us? The environment- very much. The people we meet daily- very much. The things we read. The sounds we hear: conversations, background noise, the overall atmosphere around us.

If we imagine ourselves in nature hearing birdsong, the rustling of trees, the rhythm of sea waves, it calms us, makes us reflect, and yes, it influences us. On the other hand, the loud noise of a city engines, traffic, raised voices, the restless crowd of unhappy people, or even the laughter of happy ones also affects us. What we feel in that moment, how we interpret it, how we absorb it, this is influence too.

We Influence Others, Even Without Meaning To

We are not only influenced we are also influence. The way we respond in everyday conversations matters. How we speak to people we meet, whether we are polite and understanding. And then there are days when something hurts, weighs on us, or irritates us. We become sharper, more impatient, and we reply accordingly meaning we influence the other person as well. This is interaction: we affect others, and we are affected in return.

The Constant Pressure

And then there is one influence we meet at every step today: advertising. We might wish it didn’t affect us, that no one could quietly push us into buying or ordering something without us realising it. But when we repeatedly see or hear something, it settles into the subconscious. And at the “right” moment, we remember: it feels familiar, we’ve seen it somewhere, heard it somewhere, maybe we should try it, maybe we should buy it.

Of course, not everything is simply influenced. Sometimes it’s just information we truly need at that time. Still, it helps to keep a healthy level of critical thinking. Not everything new that is offered to us is something we need to buy or use. Everything has its time, and everything has its meaning. Wanting to try something new can be enjoyable and many people do. But whether it’s necessary is something each person decides for themselves.

A Healthy Environment Starts With Responsibility

Influence is real. We can’t deny it, and we can’t fully resist it, we can only evaluate it, and often look at it with stronger criticism: what should we allow to influence us and why, and when?

At the same time, we shouldn’t ignore the other side: being the one who influences. We do it a lot, often without realising. And with that comes responsibility. Because collective influence creates the environment and the environment creates the next wave of influence. That environment should be healthy, and growth should be its foundation.