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
You can literally do anything — even with the best of intentions — and if enough people hear about, someone isn’t going to like it.
You can also do absolutely nothing and get the same result.
Just do your best to set a good example.
We’re all in the same boat.
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When you truly believe in yourself and what you intend to do, it matters far less — if at all — when others don’t.
Remember, you are not here to confine yourself to other people’s expectations. You are here to live life in whatever way that brings meaning & purpose to it.
You and your life are a work-in-progress and will be every second that you exist until your expiration date.
Set goals worth striving for — even if they’re lofty — and begin the journey to accomplish them. Recognize that mistakes are how we learn & failure is simply feedback, it is not the end.
Take what you learn from all life experiences — the “good” & especially the “bad” — and keep pushing forward with a purpose the best that you are able to.
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Allowing yourself to be the subject of a joke every now and then can show that you don’t take things too seriously. Allowing yourself to become the brunt of jokes regularly can show you don’t take things seriously enough.
Every time you allow someone to disrespect you — even if it’s “just a joke” — you give them permission to do it again.
If you want respect, it’s important to set boundaries.
Friendly ribbing between genuine friends can be a sign of trust and affection, but being frequently showcased as a joke to an audience — particularly people who don’t know you
that well — is something else.
When is enough enough? When people are laughing and you’re not one of them.
If you really love yourself, you don’t have to make a show of how much you love yourself. This also applies to confidence, success & happiness.
Some of the most insecure people on the planet are standing in a spotlight hoping you won’t notice that they’re the one holding it.
When what you are & how you feel is genuine, you don’t have to make a show of it because authenticity is effortless and is evident by how you act & carry yourself.
When you truly are what you are, how you act & your way of being is an effortless extension of the truth.
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People who don’t know you will often — and innocently — view and treat you like someone you’re not. It’s not your responsibility to conform to their vision. Having integrity means staying true to you, not conforming to other people’s expectations because it keeps them comfortable.
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Rejection is normal and criticism is common.
Just because what you offer is of no value to some people — some of whom may disparage it — doesn’t diminish its significance to those who find value in it.
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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.
The world runs rampant with people afraid to openly appreciate what they like, afraid to speak the truth, afraid of criticism, afraid of discomfort, afraid to voice their opinion, afraid of other people’s opinions, afraid of making mistakes, afraid of being wrong, afraid to be themselves, afraid to give a damn, afraid of change, afraid of independent thinking, afraid of being alone, afraid of going after what they want…
What’s the opposite of bravery again?
Have you ever taken the time to consider how much of your life is dictated by the actions you take to avoid the things you’re afraid of?
Be very careful of living a life spent running from your fears rather than working towards what you want.
By leading your life with less regard to your fears and more regard to what you want and the kind of person you truly want to be, you’re far more likely to be proud of the life you live than you will be by constantly catering to fear.
Be brave.
