Everybody is a Role Model to Somebody

Today’s class is on role models.

I want you to know this true fact..

“Everybody is a role model to somebody”.

That means YOU are a role model to someone whether you realize it or not.

Your behavior is always  being observed, and not just by kids, or somebody you are close too, but by friends, coworkers, family and even strangers.

*Someone out there is watching the way you speak.

*How you handle stressful situations

*the way  you treat people 

* How you take care of yourself

* And watching the way you show up in everyday life.

Here is the important part of that; most of the time, you  don’t even know who you are influencing.

Someone is learning from you without ever telling you.

And Maybe.

Just maybe. YOU are learning from somebody in the exact same way.

This is what makes this topic of role models so interesting, because role models aren’t  just something that you look for, they are something YOU are. You are a role model every day to somebody.

A Role Model is simply someone whose behavior influences another person

That’s it.

The funny thing is, a role model may never even know they impacted you. Just like YOU may never know how much you impacted somebody.

When we hear the words “role model” most of us immediately think of celebrities, athletes or public figures.

But personally..

I don’t think that’s where the strongest role models usually come from…

I think that the strongest role models are people we know  in real life.

I just think that You can better judge someone’s character when you are a witness to how they live every day.

Sure, It’s really easy to admire someone from a distance, especially online.

But the truth is; you only see curated moments, you don’t fully know how they really live when the cameras are off.

And I think that matters.. because a true role model is not just someone who looks successful.. its someone whose  character aligns with the image they present.

That’s why I think it’s important to look close to home. Your real life.

I’m sure There are incredible role models inside your own family- friend groups- your workplace and maybe your local community. 

They may be  people who will never become famous, but, they live with integrity, do the right thing consistently, and they do this without needing attention, praise, or recognition for it. These are the people worth learning from the most. And Role Models are not just people we admire, they are people whose behavior shapes the way we think, act and live.

A REAL Role Model talks the talk… and walks the walk.

I thinks it’s also really important to  recognize that a role model and a mentor are not exactly the same thing.

We sometimes use these two words interchangeably, but there is a difference.

-A mentor guides you, teaches you and advises you. They teach with words- A Mentorteaches Intentionally

-A Role Model is different… A role model teaches you through action. They teach thru Behavior, choices, and through the way they live. 

A Role Model  teaches unintentional. 

We may never officially be asked to mentor someone in our lifetime, BUT  our behavior will still leave a lasting impression on somebody else.

Honestly. That’s kind of crazy.

This should really make us stop and think about:

How we handle our emotions,  and how we care for ourselves mentally, physically and emotionally.

Because all of this teaches someone, something.

If you talk about fitness and health, but you cut corners when things get tough or inconvenient, people notice that too.

But the opposite is also true.

 When you  show consistency, discipline, honesty and self-respect in how you live people notice that as well.

Your actions give others permission to improve their own lives…. And that’s so powerful.

And honestly alittle scary too.

Because  it means that the way we live doesn’t  just affect us… good habits tend to  create a ripple effect.

That may sound like a lot of pressure.. but here’s the thing.. you don’t need to be perfect… 

Being a role model, does NOT mean being perfect. Most of the time, just being honestcan teach more than appearing  perfect.

Be mindful that someone is always watching, and sometimes that  awareness alone will push you to live and behave better.

Because The people we view as “perfect” can feel unreachable… but real people relate to real people…

No false advertisement…. just imperfect authenticity.

* So admitting mistakes….

*Taking accountability

*Trying again

*Learning 

*And Growing.

That’s influence.

A healthy role model isn’t someone who never falls. Its someone who learns, grows, and gets back up.I think  that’s important  to remember because sometimes we avoid leadership or influence because we  think 

 "We are not perfect enough”

But that doesn’t mean we can’t still positively impact someone else.

 I want to quickly Circle back to social media.

Of course I have to bring in Social Media.

Social media has completely changed the way we find role models.

You don’t need to be famous anymore for people to observe your life.  And I think this brings up the important question of...

"What are people out there promoting without realizing it"?

Are they encouraging:

Happiness

Health

Growth 

Friendship

and 

Support..

Or… are they normalizing comparison, Negativity, Drama, competition, 

And ..Constant validation seeking?

Because being a role model isn’t only about what you say or do directly, it’s about what you normalize.

And I think the younger generation especially absorb all of it.

 They are finding influence in the virtual world every day. Which is why it’s  so important to stay mindful of the kind of energy, behavior, and lifestyle we consistently put out into the world.

And honestly..

Today, I think we all need to be careful about choosing role models based on appearance, popularity, and online influence.

I also don’t necessarily think a role model has to be the same gender as you.

A good role model is a good role model.

Core traits like integrity, honesty consistency, kindness, accountability, discipline, and emotional regulation matter far more than gender.

That being said..

Men and women move through the world differently, and because of that, there can be value in learning from people who share similar lived experiences.

Sometimes people of the same sex may naturally model certain things more closely- how to navigate relationships, responsibilities, boundaries, confidence, different pressures in life and masculinity and femininity.

And  I think that relatability can matter. 

But at the end of the day.. being a role model is less about gender and more about how someone lives- that’s what we truly learn from.

One thing I personally really respect is

 “ Quiet Leadership”. People who live well without constantly  announcing it.

*People who keep their word

*Treat others fairly and with respect(if earned

*manage their emotions

* take care of their physical and mental health

* and they always choose to do the right thing- even when it’s the harder thing to do. And nobody knows… except me…

I know… because I am watching.

To me, those are the role models that  leave the biggest & lasting  impression.

They aren’t loud, and not performing, they are just quietly in the background being a genuinely good human being.

My all-time favorite saying is:

“Money talks and Wealth Whispers”

For me, I think the best Role Models whisper too.

Maybe that’s why role models matter more than we realize.

This is probably the biggest take away from today’s class on Role Models..

You never know truly know who is being impacted by your behavior..

Someone may see..

*your discipline

* your patience

*Your kindness and generosity

*And your resilience

And silently think to themselves...

“If they can do it, I can do it too”.

Sometimes people learn from us and never tell us, and honestly, that’s why I think character matters.

Again, Not because we need to be perfect. And not because we are out to impress people, but because our  “everyday choices”shape the environment around us.

At the end of the day, there is no wishing you were a role model to someone. Because you already are. Somewhere, somebody is always watching you.

So, set a great example.

Live quietly.

Do your absolute best .

And always choose to do the right thing even when you think nobody’s watching.

That’s all for today. 

Thank you for listening.

Until next week. Live in gratitude, and go live your best day yet!

Enjoy

Joanne Demers

The Aging Mask Podcast- A Lifestyle Medicine Podcast

(949) 236-1529

Follow along on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/theagingmask

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hi, welcome back to the Aging Mass Podcast, a lifestyle medicine podcast that explores lifestyle, wellness, and our everyday choices that shape the way we age. I am Joanne de Murs. Welcome to Wednesday class, where you might learn something new or take away a bit of food for thought. Either way, thank you for being here. I greatly appreciate it. Today's class is on role models. And I want you to know this, and this is a true fact. Everybody is a role model to somebody. Everyone is a role model to somebody. That means you are a role model to someone, whether you realize it or not. Your behavior is always being watched, and not just by kids or somebody you're close to, but by friends, coworkers, family, and even strangers. Someone out there is watching the way that you speak, how you handle stressful situations, the way you treat people, and how you take care of yourself. And they are watching the way that you show up in everyday life. And here is the important part of that. Most of the time, you don't even know who you are influencing. Someone is learning from you without ever telling you. And maybe, just maybe, you are learning from somebody in the exact same way. And this is what makes this topic of role models so interesting because role models aren't just something that you look for, they are something that you are. You are a role model every day to somebody. A role model is simply someone whose behavior influences another person. They are simply someone whose behavior influences another person. They influence through behavior. That's it. And the funny thing is, a role model may never even know they impacted you. Just like you may never know how much you impacted someone. When we hear the words role model, what do you think of immediately? I bet most of you think of celebrities, athletes, or public figures. Am I right? Personally, I don't think that's where the strongest role models come from. I think that the strongest role models are people that we know in real life. I just think that you can better judge someone's character when you are a witness to how they live every day. Sure, it's really easy to admire someone from a distance, especially online. But the truth is you only see curated moments. You don't fully know how that person treats people, how they behave under pressure, how they handle conflict, or how they really live when the cameras are off. And I think that matters because a true role model is not someone who looks successful. It's someone whose character aligns with the image that they present. That's why I think it's important to look close to home for your role model, to look in your real life. And I'm sure there are incredible role models inside your own family, friend group, your workplace, and probably even your local community. And they may be people who will never become famous, but they live with integrity. They do the right thing consistently, and they do this without needing attention, praise, or recognition for it. These are the people worth learning from the most. And role models are not just people that we admire, they are people whose behavior shapes the way that we think, act, and live. A real role model talks the talk and walks the walk. I think it's also really important to recognize that a role model and a mentor are not exactly the same thing. We sometimes use these words interchangeably, but there is a difference. A mentor guides you, they teach you and they advise you, they teach with words. A mentor teaches with intention. A role model is different. A role model teaches you through action, they teach through behavior, choices, and through the way that they live. One thing that I've learned is that people may not always listen to what you say, but they are absolutely watching what you do. Remember, you're a role model to someone. And I think to be fair and authentic to the people watching you, it's important to be honest about your weaknesses, your bad habits, and your inconsistencies too. Because being a role model doesn't mean pretending to have it all figured out, it means being truthful about where and when and how you're still growing. For example, for me, I love to talk about anything health, lifestyle, exercise, fitness, ways to improve your life. But I also, I hope, make it very clear to you that when it comes to nutrition, I'm still a whip. I'm a work in progress. I talk about nutrition on the edges, but I don't do deep dives because I my nutrition is still a work in progress. And I think that honesty matters because when you tell other people to eat well, take care of themselves, get good sleep, and live a healthy life, but you don't do it yourself, people notice that. When you show consistency, discipline, honesty, and self-respect in how you live, people notice that as well. Your actions give others permission to improve their own lives, and that that is really powerful. And it's honestly a little scary too, because it means that the way that we live doesn't just affect us. Good habits and lifestyle tend to create a ripple effect, and that may sound like a lot of pressure, but here's the thing: you don't need to be perfect. Being a role model doesn't mean being perfect. Most of the time, just being honest can teach more than appearing perfect. Be mindful that someone is always watching, and sometimes that awareness alone will push you to live and behave better because the people that we view as perfect can feel unreachable. But real people relate to real people. There's no false advertisement, just imperfect authenticity. So admitting mistakes, taking accountability, trying again, learning and growing, that's influence. A healthy role model isn't someone who never falls, it's someone who learns, grows, and gets right back up. And I think that's important to remember because sometimes we avoid leadership or influence because we think we're not perfect enough. But that doesn't mean we still can't positively impact someone else. Now, I quickly want to circle back to social media because you know, of course, I have to bring in social media. Social media has completely changed the way that we find role models. You don't need to be famous anymore for people to observe your life. And I think this brings up a really important question of what are the people out there promoting without realizing it? Are they promoting happiness, health, growth, friendship, and support? Or are they normalizing comparison, negativity, drama, competition, and constant validation seeking? Because being a role model isn't only about what you say or do directly, it's about what you normalize. And I think the younger generation especially absorb all of it. They are finding influence in the virtual world every day, which is why it's so important to stay mindful of the kind of energy, behavior, and lifestyle we consistently put out into the world. And honestly, today, I think we all need to be careful about choosing role models based on their appearance, popularity, and their online influence. Just be careful when choosing your role models. Don't do it based on appearance, popularity, or their online influence. And while we're on the topic of choosing role models, I also don't think necessarily that a role model has to be the same gender as you. A good role model is a good role model. Core traits like integrity, honesty, consistency, kindness, accountability, discipline, and emotional regulation, those matter far more than gender. But with that being said, obviously men and women move through the world differently. And because of that, there can be value in learning from people who share similar lived experiences. Sometimes people of the same sex may naturally model certain things more closely, like how to navigate relationships, responsibilities, boundaries, confidence, different pressures in life, and masculinity and femininity. And I think that relatability can matter. But at the end of the day, being a role model is less about gender and more about how someone lives. And that's what we truly learn from. One thing that I personally really respect in a role model is quiet leadership. People who live well without constantly announcing it. The people that keep their word, they treat each other fairly and with respect. If that respect is earned, they manage their emotions, they take care of their physical and mental health, and they always choose to do the right thing, even when it's the harder thing to do. And nobody knows. Well, except for me, I know because I'm watching. To me, those are the role models that leave the biggest and lasting impressions. They aren't loud, they're not performing, they are just quietly in the background being a genuinely good human being. My all-time favorite saying, if I haven't told you already, is this is my all-time favorite saying, and I say it a lot, and I notice it a lot. Money talks and wealth whispers. Money talks and wealth whispers. For me, I think the best role models, I think they whisper too. And maybe that's why role models matter more than we realize. I know there are moments in life when people are looking for an example to follow. When does someone actually need a good role model? People usually need a good role model when they are in a phase where their internal compass is still forming or it feels a little shaken up. It's less about age and more about what is going on internally and externally. Some clear signs, a couple of clear signs that maybe will show if someone needs a good role model, is when they feel uncertain, when someone feels uncertain about how to behave or what right looks like. Or when they're trying to change, they want new habits, a new mindset, and a new identity. And in those moments, people often need someone who is already living what they are trying to build, even if it's just one quality in that person that they admire, or when they feel influenced more than they feel in control, if someone notices that they are easily pulled into comparison, negativity, or bad habits that they don't like, a strong role model can help recalibrate what normal looks like. And when they don't have a clear example of a role model in their immediate circle, if family, friends, or surroundings or their surroundings don't reflect the kind of life or behavior that they want to develop, they will naturally search for guidance elsewhere. And sometimes it's simpler than all of that. It's just when someone just feels a bit lost in how to show up in the world and they start watching other people more closely to figure it out. Those are just a few ways to tell if someone you know or you yourself need a role model in your life. You never know who needs your example. And this is probably the biggest takeaway from today's class on role models. You do never truly know who is being impacted by your behavior. Someone may see your discipline, your patience, your kindness and generosity, your resilience, and silently think to themselves, if they can do it, I can do it too. Sometimes people learn from us and never tell us. And honestly, that's why I think character matters so much. Again, not because we need to be perfect and not because we are out to impress people, but because our everyday choices shape the environment around us. And at the end of the day, there is no wishing you were a role model to someone, because you already are. Somewhere, somebody is always watching you. So set a great example, live quietly, and try and do your absolute best and always choose to do the right thing, even when you think nobody's watching. Because, as I've told you, someone is always watching you. That's all I have for today. Thank you for listening. Until next week, live in gratitude and go live your best day yet. Enjoy. If you enjoyed this episode and just can't wait to hear and learn more, don't forget to subscribe to the Aging Mask, a lifestyle medicine podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. And I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. So please leave a review on the Aging Mask Instagram. Or if you don't have socials or you're taking a break, feel free to text me at the Aging Mask 949 236 1529. We could talk about this episode or any of my prior episodes. Let's have a conversation. I am here and I'm ready to listen, and I would love to help where I can. Thank you.