the people we carry with us.

Hello. My mom once told me, when you miss someone, you start living like them, and that really stuck with me. It made me think about all the habits I've picked up throughout my life and how I'm really just a combination of all the people who have inspired me. When I miss my mom, I pay attention to the little details— how I clean up after myself after I cook, How I put things back to their original place because she does that. I didn't always want to hear her advice growing up, but most of the time she was right and her habits stayed with me. When I miss my dad, I vacuum every stray hair off the floor and make sure all the labels in the fridge face outward because that's what he does. And honestly, it makes perfect sense. These little things I do, they're all borrowed from people I love and people I encounter in my day-to-day life. And that's why I believe what you consume matters, not just food, but everything. From the shows you watch, the people you spend time with, to the music you listen to. And no matter how stubborn you think you are, you'll start picking things up from your surroundings. So to the person who DM'd me asking how to have a positive mindset, uh, start with what you let in. Start small. Curate your inputs. I wrote out— I wrote down a list of things that may help with that. So follow people who uplift you, not drain you. Listen to music that makes you feel grounded or alive. Spend time with people who reflect the energy you want to keep. Notice the little habits of people you admire and try them on. Speak to yourself the way someone who loves you would. And this doesn't mean avoiding all negative things or feelings, but it does mean choosing to focus more on the cup that's half full Not half empty. And I hope this helps.