Who is someone in your life you really admire? A person you want to be more like. All the people that come to mind for me is overwhelming. So many people who are amazing. It is important to recognize role models and learn how to be a better person. *Above Photo Credit Patrick Jordan.

All people have varying traits, positive and negative, mild and extreme, healthy and destructive. No one is perfect. Looking at the productive, robust, and likable traits of a person is a great way to identify a growth opportunity within ourselves.

Don’t view identifying role models necessarily as opportunity to compare yourself to someone as “better or worse than,” but rather see the traits in people you admire, and why. This is not about feeling bad about yourself, but rather recognizing a trait you respect and striving for more. The feelings of the people should go beyond “liking them”, and more into admiration, reverence, and the highest regard. Something that instills positive emotion.

Role models can be anyone in your life. They don’t have to be famous, widely known, or perfect. They can be a friend, family member, teacher, doctor, coach, bus driver, anyone that demonstrates positive, healthy, traits that you admire and strive be more like. 

There are many ways and reasons we admire people, an array of reasons. Many of these traits are proven to improve to happiness and overall mental health functioning.

Connecting with a role model

These can be people you know, don’t know, anyone you respect.Even groups, companies, or teams can be included. Keep going, come up with at least 25. 

Think about the reasons you look up to these people. Write the traits and behaviors that make this person special. Come up with specific examples of the behaviors. 
*What have they done for you?
*How do these traits manifest or show in this person’s life?
Colleen Manna in the photo is not just a “good person”, but she is gentle, loving, present, fun, beautiful, spiritual, and amazing. 

As your English teach (or mother) would say find the best word to describe someone, a fifty cent word. Many people are “nice”, go beyond this. Mike Metzger, Elmo, and Maxx Passion are all “nice”, but more accurately they are all passionate, loving, caring, gentle, encouraging, understanding, confident, accepting, and welcoming. Don’t settle for penny words use a thesaurus if you need, a great tool. 

Take those positive traits and incorporate them as intentions, lifestyles, and behaviors. Justin Pollack above is a great role model because he is present, kind, passionate, and gentle. 
*What changes do you need to make to have more of this trait?
*Specifically, what are you going to do to incorporate these behaviors?

Letter, email, phone call, text, whatever way you can, reach out and share how you feel about them. List the specific traits and examples why you admire this person. Malia Brown in the photo above is someone I admire because she is loyal, kind, funny, caring, and always seems to show up when I need someone. 

On the flip side. Who are people you don’t look up to? What traits do these people have that make you uncomfortable, negative. Don’t make a list necessarily, but think about these people and the traits he or she has. Negativity? Grouchiness? Ungrateful? Whatever it may be. Don’t focus on it, or you may head straight for it. But being aware of those negative traits can’t help you reach more for you positive ideas.

It is far greater to live your life striving for the better than just avoiding the bad. Recognizing the traits that a person you respect is great, and a way to improve. Remember, always be yourself, just the better version of yourself. It is ok if it feels like a big change, being better is change. Embrace being better, and probably feeling better.

You aren’t trying to be that person, just modeling some of their amazing behavior. Write a role model letter to one of these people, why you look up her or him. Be specific with your examples when possible. Share your thoughts with the person, face to face, letter, email, text, phone call whatever.