Not everyone will understand your journey. That’s fine. It’s not their journey to make sense of. It’s yours.
Author | Photographer | CG Artist | Filmmaker
Reminder:
A difference of opinion doesn’t mean someone is against you & it doesn’t mean you can’t be friends — or at least get along.
A respectful disagreement is far more interesting & leads to far more growth than only associating with those who see things exactly as you.
Related:
If you wish to reduce bad behavior, it has to start with you, not the person who you think is behaving badly.
Responding disrespectfully to someone who is acting poorly just leaves the world with another badly behaving person. You must set the example you want to see.
Acting badly because someone else is acting badly is not an excuse to act badly. You are responsible for your behavior no matter what other people are doing.
Strive to set an example you will be proud of no matter how you are feeling and no matter who sees it.
People in groups are notoriously stupid – not because any individual is, but because people blindly trust & follow group consensus instead of their own common sense.
This is proven by social media every second and you are not immune.
Of course – groups of people can yield amazing things. But whether the outcome/output of a group is considered positive or negative or successful (or not), it has little to do with whether group dynamics are at play or not. They are an incredibly powerful force & few are immune.
Confidence attracts. Insecurity repels.
If you believe in yourself & what you do, how is that confidence reflected in your behavior?
If your confidence is dependent on the reception you get rather your belief in what you do, you will always be at the mercy of others.
If you don’t have an unshakeable belief in what you do or what you’re trying to accomplish, you’re gonna have a really hard time getting other people to.
Whether people cheer you or boo you, your confidence in yourself should not be dictated by the reception you get.
While there are markers that society uses to measure success, success is not a standard.
Just because a crowd may consider a person successful (or not) doesn’t mean that person conforms to their standard.
Success is up to the individual to define in whatever way they choose.
Happiness is not a choice. It is not a switch you can flip. It is not the result of only having & appreciating positive experiences.
Happiness is the result of having a healthy attitude that allows one to find value in all life experiences, not just the “good” ones.
Pretending to be happy isn’t happiness – and it isn’t healthy. While you may fool some, you won’t fool the one person that it matters to most – yourself. It’s better to admit you’re not happy & work towards a solution than pretend you’re happy and do nothing.
It isn’t likely that lasting happiness will come from the getting of things, but rather from the satisfaction one gets from doing them – and an attitude that allows one to find value in the journey of life & not just a particular destination along the way.
You can be satisfied in your work, fulfilled by your goals (whether you ultimately achieve them or not), comforted by your relationships, pleased with your journey, and grateful for your life without being #happy 100% of the time.
And that’s OK. That’s life.
Related:
Too many people say they want people to be themselves while simultaneously criticizing those who are.
It should go without saying, but “being authentic” does not translate to “conform to what your idea of normal is”.
Don’t say you desire authenticity from people and then criticize them for being themselves or fault them for failing to cater to what your idea of normal is.
