“Find the smartest people you can and surround yourself with them.”
-Marissa Mayer
When you first went to school your parents may have said to you to make sure to make good choices and surround yourself with those that do the same and are also smart. American novelist Marissa Mayer’s quote makes a similar recommendation. I think when hear the word smart we immediately go to those that are book smart which makes sense. However when we are trying to develop our relationship skills with one another, being book smart is only one half of the equation.
I think having a strong social and emotional foundations is also a different level of someone being smart because they are able to better recognize their emotions, thoughts and feelings. They can handle their self regulation as certain situations arise which can serve as a good role model for one to follow and in a sense mimic their same behaviors. They are able to look at things from all angles and all perspectives while reserving judgement before coming to a responsible decision. And lastly they put the needs of others first before their own in strengthening relationships with all those they interact with.
Being smart is not limited to just being book smart. That can only get you so far. You want to surround yourself with someone who is well rounded and moves beyond what is written on the pages of a book and actually actively applies what is learned based on the experiences they seek out. They seek balance from within. This in itself is where being and acting smart is what we should be seeking with the relationships we want to be a part of in life.
What does this quote mean to you and how can you apply today’s message towards developing your relationship skills?
Becoming The Change 