5 Ways To Be a Person of Influence

The holidays produce mixed feelings for most of us.

It could be our frustration that the true meaning of Christmas is buried under the commercialism with the financial pressure that goes along with it. Or the holiday season can be a time of heightened loneliness with no family close by. For those with families joining in the festivities, often strained relationships add stress to the gatherings.

Something the holidays bring that isn’t duplicated during the year is the increased amount of events, parties, and get-together’s that are planned. We are thrown in with co-workers and acquaintances we rarely socialize with. It might be two hours or more before we can make our escape!

While I am often one of the first to look for a door at a these types of engagements, let me suggest a new way to look at it this year:

See yourself as a person of influence.

Another way to say it is “don’t underestimate the influence of your life!”

Here are five ways to be a person of influence during any gathering:

1. Resolve to find one person to encourage. Pray and ask God for insight in what to say. You may find yourself in a divine appointment!
2. Realize the power of your word of affirmation. A genuine compliment or positive observation can lift someone’s spirits.
3. Resist the urge to remain in the shadows. Push yourself to step out and engage a few people. You may find an opportunity to show kindness and be a friend.
4. Remember a person’s name. Something as simple as knowing someone’s name and repeating it back to them makes a big difference. (You may need to develop a system for it. I am working hard on this one as I have been guilty of forgetting a name as soon as I hear it!)
5. Remind yourself that you have a lot to offer. Look for ways to invest your care and insight into the life of another person.

You are a person of influence! Don’t underestimate yourself and how God can use you in the life of someone else.

This holds true at every family get-together or other event.

Make it something fun you do and watch God show up to use you in unexpected ways!

Do you have other suggestions for being a person of influence?