This past weekend I traveled to Niagara Falls and Toronto, Ontario with my lovely girlfriend for the wedding of a good friend of mine, Vince DelMonte, who married his beautiful bride in Flavia Dragos. Vince and Flavia are great people and I couldn’t be happier for them.
As for the wedding, it was filled to the brim with lots of laughs, great food and even greater collection of people. I went there to support my friend, his family and to celebrate his marriage. And, yes to have a good time and enjoy the festivities. But in the middle of the great party I ended up learning a few lessons.
1. You’re only as good as the company you keep.
Happy and successful people hang out with other happy and successful people, much like people with little or no ambition hang out with people who share a similar mentality.
If you have that drive and ambition to make something of yourself then surround yourself with people who have similar beliefs and goals. This equates to your training as well, if you’re trying to get in great shape and make some serious changes in your life, spend as much time with people who will motivate and support you as you can. Find people who will push you to reach your goals, who will also hold you accountable and hold you to a higher standard.
Having a solid support system can make a huge difference in your success in any area of your life.
The wedding was full of awesome people, something that spoke volumes about the bride and groom. They want the most out of life and it’s easy to see, not only in their actions, but also in the company they keep, who clearly share that same mindset.
2. Life is too short to waste on being self conscious.
Just letting loose and having a good time without being worried about what others think can be a blessing.
This goes back to the fact that we only have one life, and in the grand scheme of things it’s a pretty short window to make the most of it. If there’s an opportunity to have a good time, take advantage of it.
For example: the dance floor at a wedding. If there’s ever an opportunity to look like an idiot and have some fun without people caring or judging you, a wedding is the place to do it.
The dance floor is always filled with people laughing and really enjoying themselves. It’s also surrounded by people who wish they were having a great time but are too self conscious to get up there. Granted, some people might actually hate dancing or genuinely just want to relax and chat with friends at their table, but there are a lot of people trying to muster up the courage to let loose, and regret not doing so when it’s time to go home. I’ve been on both sides and I’ve had a lot more fun laughing on the dance floor than sitting in my chair.
It’s like when you spot a girl you want to ask out, you come up with excuse after excuse as to why now is not the right time, and then walk home kicking yourself in the butt at the end of the night wishing you had done something. I’ve been there and what’s the point?
There’s no time like the present to make something good happen in your life.
3. Giving more than you receive brings happiness and success.
Providing value to people will lead to more success and happiness than getting for yourself, or always expecting things from people.
I’ll be honest, I know and have met a lot of people in both categories, and life’s better being around the people who are givers, the people who don’t give in order to receive, but give simply because they like giving. They’re generally happier and find more enjoyment in life.
The wedding was packed full of people who have done well in their professions, relationships and who genuinely enjoy what they do and the life they live. It’s a great quality to have. Instead of thinking, “how is this going to benefit me?” ask yourself, “how can I provide some value to someone else?”
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What’s a lesson you’ve learned recently? (Any topic will do).
