The Top 5 People Theory
According to motivational speaker Jim Roth, we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with. This is an interesting theory. Consider your top 5 people and what you share in common. Our values, belief systems, self-esteem, way of thinking and decision-making are all influenced by our environment and by the company we keep.
When I first considered my top five, I realized that within my top 3 was my one-year-old son. And for my parent’s out there, you know that the company of an infant leads to a unique desire for more intellectual stimulation. My husband works away for weeks at a time so I needed another way to stay stimulated and engaged.
Audible.
I have become a big fan of Audible. Every day, my son and I take our dog for a big walk. Before I found podcasts and Audible, I would just listen to my own repetitive mental blather. On the days I focused on a complaint I had, I would be slightly worse off than when I started my walk. My world then felt really small.
And then a friend of mine recommended that I listen to an episode of Oprah’s Super Soul Conversations podcast. I believe it was an episode with Wayne Dyer, discussing the Art of Manifestation. I enjoyed the experience of listening. It inspired a unique connection with the speaker and with subject of conversation. I ended up looking for more and more podcast episodes and integrated my listening into my daily walking ritual.
Next, I stumbled upon a two-part episode with Maya Angelou and was completely uplifted by her company. I recall being brought to tears by a story of her courage on my way to work and by the time I arrived, I was completely lit up and had resolved to teach courageously that evening.
Audible was the logical next step. Audible books. I discovered the work of Brene Brown and Rachel Hollis on Audible and began downloading books to listen to during my walks. The audible membership (affiliate link) is perfect for this purpose because it includes one free book a month. This is how I expanded my top 5 people to include a few big players in the game of life.
Align Your Company with Your Goals
I want to be an extraordinary human. I want my life to be meaningful and I want to show up as my best Self. Now that will undoubtedly look different for me, as it does for you. And it will undoubtedly evolve in time.
I want to be an extraordinary wife. And yet, I realize that the majority of my closest people are not married. The work of Brene Brown and Rachel Hollis have been integral in supporting my efforts to become my version of the extraordinary wife.
The same goes in the arena of parenting. I seek out their conversation and guidance to keep me on track. They are big players in the area of marriage and parenting.
Within my yoga practice (and beyond), I began to recognize my tendency to hold back. After I had my son, my efforts to back-bend were met with fear and resistance. I began then to increase the time spent with yogi’s who practiced from a place of surrender and trust.
With each shift in my focus, I now endeavour to align my company accordingly. And my heros remain my back-pocket, always reading to step into my top 5, even on a temporary basis to keep me progressing forward. I
If you are curious about my story and what I’m up to as a yogi, teacher, massage therapist and writer, check out my bio.