I’m sure you’ve noticed that mixing with different people highlights the varying versions of ourselves.

They’ll be good old friends with whom by simply looking at them, you know what they’re thinking. Or indeed, they’ve only got to offer a glint of the eye to render you a giggle box of churlish fun and laughter.

They evoke feelings of energy, fun, and an: “Anything is possible” vibe, – that you can often feel a tingly sensation in your stomach. It reminds me of popping candy and it’s incredibly moreish.

These such friends are more valuable than diamonds. They are the ones with whom you are most likely to enjoy being the best version of yourself when in their company. You don’t need a professional guise because they make you feel relaxed, secure, and content.

Of course, over a lifetime, we meet many people. Some of whom, we may feel poles apart from. Yet we still may form a genuine friendship with them, which often originates from sheer respect.

This calls to mind an academic new friend of mine. I am in awe that he is embarking on a Ph.D., and spending time with him, makes me feel like broadening my reading genres.

There’s a sweet lady in my local supermarket, whose standard greeting is a wide smile. She automatically packs my bag with a kind, soft–speaking voice, offering pleasantries whilst doing so.

Unbeknownst to her, she too evokes calm and soothing feelings in me. I notice that leaving the shop, I take a little petal of her serenity with me, tending to speak more quietly and nicer to myself afterward.

We can’t possibly get on with all the people we meet, but we can observe how any person influences our versions of ourselves. Even someone who is a lifetime subscriber of negativity might prompt us to be especially positive in their company. At the very least it’s a reminder that our own negative streak may not be constructive.

Whilst our core personalities don’t change, although they will mature as wisdom sets in, we all have different versions of ourselves; they’re not us being false, merely we’re adapting and dove-tailing to accommodate the people with whom we spend our time.

I hope this serves as a conscious reminder, that when we’re aware of the best versions of ourselves, we more easily navigate our way through our lives. We can cherry–pick sincere attributes from other people, as we journey towards being the best versions of ourselves.