4 questions that tell you if you are "under influence"

Once you’re under influence, this is very difficult to get rid of it because we act and talk of our own « free will », without anyone to force us directly. As a result, we think we are free.

However, being under influence means that a force is effectively indirectly acting on us.

Influences are very hard to catch because, most of the time, they have been spreading long time ago while they have been repeating and entered our brain without our realizing it. So they superimposed to our real personality and blocked the access to our deep nature.

The more we are under influence, the less we are ourselves.

This article is not supposed to identify sources of influence (which could be your entourage, the Internet, television, institutions, religions…) but to help you to know if you are effectively under influence or not.

For that, you just have to be able to answer to at least one of those 4 questions :

#1.« Could I explain the exact reason why I do that thing ? »

#2.« Could I say how what I am doing/saying is useful for me or for anyone ?»

#3.« I feel that what I am doing/saying is a moral duty. But could I precisely explain how is it moral ? »

#4.« Do I take pleasure in saying/doing this thing ? »

Let be clear on the notion of pleasure…

I’m talking here about a personal and authentic pleasure : A good and euphoric sensation that invades you when you appreciate something or somebody.

Gossiping on your neighbours with your best friend is not really what I’d call "pleasure". The pleasure is the fact to be talking with your friend, whatever the subject. So this is important to be very precise when you answer to these questions.

If what you are doing doesn’t fill any question in, that means you are effectively under influence.

You’re now aware that what you are doing or saying is not « you », it doesn’t suit you. Free yourself from it, it will be the best thing you can do for yourself and all people around you.

Remember... The most important is to really be yourself.

It is necessary, for an Artist, to get rid of the influences as much as possible. By identifying and suppressing them, he will finally be able to express what he’s got inside him with authenticity and more easiness.

The Owlie’s word : Warning ! There also are good influences ! Each influence is not bad. The difference is that a good influence doesn’t stay an « influence ». It always ends up to integrate your personality, to become a part of it. A good influence is compatible with your nature and will allow you to answer the 4 questions. A bad influence has a control over you while it’s incompatible with your nature and will never be integrated. You’d better get rid of it.