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
The fact is that everyone – on some level – cares what other people think. So the more you try to act cool by making a show of how much you don’t care, the more you betray the image you’re trying to project. Caring about things or what people think is not the issue. Letting other people have control over your sense of self-worth is.
If you’re trying to earn affection or gain favor by propagating whatever sentiments society considers cool at the moment, you’re likely far more guilty of approval-seeking than you want anyone – including yourself – to believe.
DATING PROFILES
Why is it always “Must love dogs.” and never:
Must be kind.
Must be loving.
Must have integrity.
Must have empathy.
Must be open-minded.
Must be able to communicate well.
Must have emotional intelligence.
Must be able to express emotions.
Based on how often “Must love dogs” comes up, you would think that finding men that like dogs is a serious problem in the dating world.
I would think finding men with the other qualities would be a little higher on the list of priorities.
The surprising thing about rejection is how much we allow the fear of it to impact our lives, when in actuality, increasing the rate at which we’re rejected can be extremely beneficial. Putting ourselves in a position where rejection is possible is a sign that we’re attempting something that has the potential to push our boundaries – and by doing so, provide us with something we actually want. And even if we don’t get what we seek, the act of trying to get it provides us with valuable information that can aid us in future attempts & endeavors.
The fact is, by embracing rejection we increase the rate at which we get things we want. No, we won’t always get what we seek, but our attempts at actively getting it are far more likely to yield positive results than if we sit back and do nothing out of fear of being rejected.
The cost of consistently letting your fears drown out your desires is that you sacrifice your life to negative outcomes that exist only in your mind. The fact is, most of the worst of what we fear never comes to pass.
Often, the risk of listening to our fears is greater than the risk of the negative outcomes we imagine. This is because we let our fears deny us of opportunities that could ultimately be life-changing if only we had the courage to do what we truly desired. And even if what we feared came to pass as a result of our initiative, the outcome is simply temporary discomfort (embarrassment, rejection, criticism…) and insignificant in the grand scheme of our lives.
“Think positive.” No. Think intelligently. Just because “think positive” is a nice thing to say doesn’t mean it’s going to do you any good.
You can be the kindest, most positive person in the world, but unless you’re actively working towards a goal or fulfilling a greater purpose, you will likely find yourself drifting further & further from places you truly want to go. Without a strategy, “Think positive” is a meaningless catchphrase. In order to have any significant impact on your life, your positive thoughts must be accompanied by actions that push you in a direction you want to go.
Teamwork sits alongside trust, communication, and tolerance as a building block of the best relationships.
Teamwork is not “What can I get out of this relationship?”, it’s “What can I bring to this relationship to make it better?”
It’s the combined commitment to overcome obstacles. It’s support. It’s encouragement. It’s working together. It’s rising to the challenge of bettering yourself for the benefit of the whole.
Teamwork is providing the support and encouragement necessary to help others better themselves and succeed in their endeavors.
Society has a love/hate relationship with unconventional behavior. Celebrating those who think & act differently is at the heart of countless stories that people adore.
Many of people’s favorite characters in books & entertainment are eccentric. And we always root for the underdog & love the hero’s journey. And yet, when it comes to real life, we often dismiss those who choose to do things differently.
Is it because we don’t know who to root for or show our love to when we aren’t explicitly told it’s ok?
While taking the path less traveled can be a very rewarding experience, it is not a walk in the park. Venturing along this path is an exploration of the unknown and an invitation to challenges that cannot be seen at the onset of your journey.
By its very nature, your unconventional journey will likely be one that many won’t understand. But remember, your life is yours to live as you choose. Although the risks are many and the challenges are numerous, so too are the rewards that await those who have the courage to venture off the beaten path.
