It’s not what you think! These are not the ‘influencers’ you find in your doom scrolling algorithms. These are something altogether different, but are actually playing a major role in the ways we navigate through life. What might seem, at first glance, like obvious parts of our day to day, these six specific influencers are likely running the show yet flying under the radar. My hope is that we can create some awareness around them, learn how they are impacting our lives and gain some agency over them! 

These influencers are the spiritual, mental, emotional, physical, social, and environmental factors that shape how we show up in life. When these areas are working for us, they support our growth and help us navigate change. But when they’re out of alignment, they can make times of challenge, transition, or uncertainty feel heavier than they need to.

The truth is, what might have a strong influence on me isn’t exactly the same as what might have a strong influence on you. It can vary from person to person—and even from moment to moment depending on the situation.

When stress shows up—whether it’s in the form of tension, anxiety, or pressure—or when we feel disengaged and unmotivated, our energy starts to drain. And when our energy drops, it becomes much harder to perform at our best or show up in the way we want to. 

The Break Down

So before we endure yet another mental breakdown, let’s take each influencer and break them down one by one. We will look at how each of these influencers can make a positive impact on our quality of life and also how they can drain and deplete us when they are out of alignment. Each influencer has a pro-or a way that they can enhance our lives, as well as a con-or a way that they can cause problems for us. 

  • Spiritual Influencers – 
    • Pros – Involve our purpose, beliefs, values, gifts, desires, goals, etc., in relation to what we specifically want to do and how we want to do it
    • Cons – Can deplete our energy when whatever we are doing causes us to question, or comes into conflict with, our values, purpose, goals, connection, and beliefs.
  • Mental Influencers – 
    • Pros – Give clarity around what we’re doing, our ability to remain focused on performing without being distracted, and whether the task is interesting and has the right degree of challenge for us.
    • Cons – When we multitask, stretch ourselves too thin or have conflicting demands, are distracted, or when a task either bores us or is too challenging for us.
  • Emotional Influencers – 
    • Pros – how well our needs and desires are being met by what we’re doing, how excited and enthusiastic we are about doing it, and whether we have the emotional control to be able to choose how to respond, instead of react, to any given situation.
    • Cons – when we feel as if our needs, desires, or expectations are not being met, or when we encounter a situation that we don’t understand or don’t know how to navigate, or when we do not know how to effectively deal with emotions.
  • Physical Influencers –
    • Pros – It’s about being aware of what our body is telling us and how proactive we are in taking care of our physical well-being. When we support our body—through healthy eating, regular movement, and preventative care—we create the physical energy and strength needed to show up and perform at our best in whatever you’re doing.
    • Cons – This shows up when our body isn’t able to function at its best—or in the way we are used to it functioning. Things like lack of sleep, poor eating habits, being over- or underweight, illness, or injury can all drain your energy. The same is true when we push our bodies far beyond their current capacity—like trying to run a marathon when we’ve never even run a mile.
  • Social Influencers – 
    • Pros – Having the right kind—and the right amount—of interaction with those we surround ourselves with plays a big role in how supported we feel in our lives. For some people, that means being surrounded by like-minded individuals who are energized by the same ideas and goals. For others, it might mean finding an environment that values independence and individual contribution more than constant collaboration. 
    • Cons – Our energy can also be affected when the social environment around us isn’t a good fit, or when other people’s negative energy starts to influence our own. For example, if we naturally enjoy our independence but suddenly find ourselves surrounded by people we don’t know, it can quickly drain our energy. And even when we are genuinely excited about something, being surrounded by people who are negative or constantly saying “that won’t work” can chip away at our enthusiasm and motivation.
  • Environmental Influencers – 
    • Pros – When the environment we find ourselves in allows us to not just complete—but even enjoy—the tasks or experiences we are about to take on in a way that we intended them to.
    • Cons – Show up when we find ourselves in an environment that we believe limits our ability to function at our best—or in the way we are most used to. For example, if we’re planning to move in with our significant other and their child but they currently live in a small one-bedroom home, the physical environment alone could create tension or lower our energy around making the move.
Building Awareness

With this baseline understanding of the role each of these influencers can play in our lives, my challenge to myself and to all of us is to grab a journal and pick one influencer per week to simply pay attention to and make note of how this specific influencer is either improving your energy levels or bringing them down. Here are some questions to use as you build awareness around each of these six influencers. 

Spiritual Influencer (Purpose, Values, Beliefs)
  1. When do I feel most aligned with my purpose or values during the day or week? What am I usually doing in those moments?
  2. When have I recently felt tension between what I’m doing and what I believe is important?
  3. Where in my life do I feel the strongest sense of purpose? Where do I feel disconnected from it?
  4. If I had complete freedom to pursue what matters most to me, what would I spend more time doing?
Mental Influencer (Focus, Clarity, Challenge)
  1. What kinds of tasks make me feel mentally energized versus mentally drained?
  2. What distractions tend to pull my attention away from what matters most?
  3. Am I currently feeling bored, overwhelmed, or appropriately challenged in the main things I’m doing?
  4. What habits help me think clearly and stay mentally organized?
Emotional Influencer (Needs, Enthusiasm, Emotional Control)
  1. What situations in my life bring me the most excitement or enthusiasm right now?
  2. What situations tend to trigger frustration, anxiety, or discouragement?
  3. When I feel strong emotions, do I typically react quickly or pause and choose how to respond?
  4. What emotional needs do I feel are being met well in my life right now and which might currently be going unmet?
  5. How do I usually process or release difficult emotions?
Physical Influencer (Energy, Health, Body Awareness)
  1. How would I describe my physical energy levels throughout a typical day?
  2. What habits currently support my physical well-being (sleep, nutrition, movement, and  which might be draining my physical energy)?
  3. When does my body give me signals that I need rest, movement, or nourishment?
  4. How does my physical health affect my ability to show up in the things that matter to me?
Social Influencer (Relationships, Support, Interaction)
  1. Who are the people in my life that energize and encourage me?
  2. Who or what types of social interactions tend to drain my energy?
  3. Do I currently have the right balance between connection with others and time alone?
  4. What kinds of conversations or relationships bring out the best in me?
Environmental Influencer (Spaces, Surroundings)
  1. What environments help me feel calm, focused, or energized and what environments tend to make me feel stressed or drained?
  2. How does my physical workspace influence my productivity or mood?
  3. Are there aspects of my environment that make daily tasks harder than they need to be?
  4. What small change in my environment could improve my experience each day?
  5. When do I feel most comfortable and “at ease” in my surroundings?
Progress over Perfection

The aim of building this awareness is not to create blame or shame for ourselves, but simply to find some small ways to allow these six influencers to begin working for us more than against us. My hope is that these questions really help us take some control back over these seemingly basic aspects of the human experience and find more agency over our own lives. We are all being influenced; whether we realize it or not is up to us! Even the smallest step towards creating positive energy in our lives where there once was more negativity is a wonderful step of progress. Perfection doesn’t exist – so let’s celebrate every amount of progress we can find along the way!

You can connect with Michelle on LinkedIn or read her articles here.