This week my sorority’s national consultant came to visit. As a member of the executive board, I had the pleasure of meeting with her multiple times over Zoom during the week alongside the team I work with. For one of our meetings, we closed by playing a game like “We’re Not Really Strangers,” but sorority-based.
The game involved us writing in the chat sisters we admire, ones we want to get to know better, and overall, the game showed us how we all wanted to get to know people better and how we all thought amazing things of one another – but rarely verbalized it.
So, that brings up today’s topic… Why do we wait?
We, as human beings, are admired and we, as human beings, admire others. Yet, how often do we let someone know when we admire them? For me, it is not enough. Too often do I think to myself, “Oh, that girl’s shirt is so pretty,” or “This person really makes me feel at home,” but, I never tell them. There are so many people I think the world of… and I never tell them.
So, if you find yourself relating to this, ask yourself, “Why do I wait?”
Why do we wait until someone is sick, dying, or dead to let them know how impactful their presence is or was to us? Why do we wait until it’s someone’s birthday to tell them all of the kind things we think about them 365 days a year? When did it become awkward to appreciate people you think of so highly?
I don’t know about you but if this game taught me anything, it is that I am done waiting. After playing that game, I texted over thirty people detailed messages about why they make a difference in my life. It took thirty minutes out of my day, but I know it probably made their day. I am going to try and make it a habit of mine to continue to do that, too. Maybe not thirty people in a day, but even just one is a start.
Life is too short to be lived without telling people the impact they have had on you. I hope, in return, you realize you are impactful in many others’ lives, too.
To help you kickstart this new journey, I have some questions I want you to ask yourself. Hopefully, they will inspire you to text/call/email/DM someone you think great things of, but have never told.
1. Who makes you feel at home?
2. Who is someone who inspires you that you are not close to?
3. Who do you wish you knew better?
4. Who makes you laugh the hardest?
5. Who do you trust?
6. Who makes your days brighter just by saying a simple “hello?”
7. Who is your role model?
I really hope you guys take these questions and think them over. Reach out to the people that come to mind. Continue to reflect and remind yourself: it’s never too early or too late to appreciate the people that have made a difference in your life.
Whether you just follow someone on Instagram and are inspired or you have been friends for years, everyone deserves to be celebrated for the way they impact others. So, go on out there and make your own impact – you don’t need to wait.