Be Something Someone Needs to Get By

I never realized how often I find myself changing my behavior, body language, and tone of voice around others. With preppy people, I roll my eyes more, talk as if every single sentence that comes out of my mouth is a question, and complain more. With older people, I take on a more conservative view of life as if I, myself, have 4 children and am technologically challenged. With family, I yield to their every plea and demand, almost opinion-less because everything they say and do must be right. With my theater crew, well...I am all over the spectrum. I guess my earth sign truly is water, the substance that bends and mold and forms to any force.

I have learned over the course of my short life that people need comfort. Comfort is assurance in the self and in others; a knowledge that all will remain fine and safe. No matter what age we are-from early teens, to young adulthood, to old age- we need others to relate to us. A simple conversation that accommodates those you are talking to goes a long way. This could mean changing your tone of voice to match theirs, discussing similar topics that they might find interesting, or even expressing the same kind of concerns they have. Never is it okay to change who you are completely; always stay true to who you are. But it is with simple accommodation to their needs that keeps relationships strong. If a young teen working in a professional environment ranted to her employer about her boyfriend troubles, the employer will probably not seek comfort and assurance in her young employee, compared to a young employee who offers help and/or advice on what the business needs. The employer, in turn, will feel confident in her young employee and may then consider her trustworthy enough to handle tasks in the future. It is all about trust, common sense, and accommodation to the other person. In all relationships where two people are willing to work together. Even when it comes to that preppy valley girl you meet in class, a little "Oh my God"s may not be such a bad thing. 

Adapt. Adapt for their comfort and in the long run, you'll be something someone needs to get by. Who knows? Maybe they never knew someone could be similar to them. And... Voila! You have created a foundation for a comfortable friendship, work relationship, or partnership.