Filters + Environments

It is important that you have a filter in place.
It is equally important that you are in the right environment.

I’ll explain with a story.

I have a morning routine of playing one song on repeat. Sometimes, I wake up with the song; other times, I just make my pick.

I opened my music player on Friday to pick a song and in my Last Added was a song I didn’t know when I downloaded. In cases like this, I know it must have been auto download from my WhatsApp.

I cautiously played the song and it ended up being my repeat song that morning.
It spoke to an immediate need and even though I didn’t know how I got it, I was happy I did.

I went through my unread messages later that night and I saw where the upload was made. It was from one of the groups I belong to. I immediately thanked the sender and life progressed.

Normally, I set my WhatsApp media not to download automatically. That is one filter I put in place.
We know how it feels to have your folders fill up with contents you didn’t sign up for. I must have unchecked a box for this download to have happened.

It was yesterday morning I thought of that encounter again. You know, shower inspiration.

I had observed early in life that I was a very good sponge. I stay around people long enough and I begin to emulate their mannerisms.
When I noticed this, I began to be more conscious of the things I let this sponge absorb. I put certain filters in place and a good number of such filters came from God’s word.
Yes, this is how people around me operate but the word-filter forbids me to act like so.
And such deliberateness has helped me.

????????????????????

It was after my experience with the song I understood the importance of the right environment all over again.
I didn’t consciously click to download that song but being in such environment that suits the life I want meant that to a good degree, what was shared was what would benefit me.

Now back to my introductory statement.

It is very important to have a filter in place—yes, you don’t want to be a dump ground for every character trait.
But it’s equally important you position yourself in the right environment.
That Friday, my filter failed but what I gained was something of tremendous value to me.

No matter how much we try, there are things we pick up from others as a result of constant exposure.
All things being equal, no filters in place, we become what/who we behold.
In Jim Rohn’s words, ‘You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.’

If your filters were to slightly fail tomorrow, what would you be absorbing?
Are there things, people or places you need to distance from?

If you’re intent on becoming all that God has destined you to be, you shouldn’t joke with this.
I pray you have a blessed week.