The people around us become part of what we consume.

Who are you hanging around?

We usually think of consumption as something we eat, drink, read or watch. But we also absorb attitudes, habits and expectations from the people around us.

That does not mean abandoning everyone who thinks differently from you. It means recognizing that relationships influence us.

Monkey See, Monkey Do

There is a reason the old three wise monkeys still make us smile: see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.

We imitate more than we realize. Spend enough time around constant complaining and complaining begins to feel normal. Spend time around generosity, faith, curiosity, hard work and laughter, and those things can become contagious too.

Choose your normal carefully.

Boundaries Are Part of Self-Respect

Knowing who you are makes it easier to decide what you will participate in and what you will not.

You can love people without following them everywhere. You can be kind without surrendering your values. You can say no. You can leave the conversation. You can choose not to participate in something simply because it is not good for you.

Good boundaries are not punishment. They are clarity.

Keep Good Company

Look for people who encourage what is best in you - people who can tell you the truth, celebrate your growth, pray with you, laugh with you and still let you be yourself.

And try to be that kind of person for somebody else.

Consuming Goodness is not only about choosing good influences. It is also about becoming one.

Choose your normal carefully.

Good in. Good out.

Love yourself, as yourself. Gal. 5:14®