We all have our favorite ice cream flavors. It is our taste and personal preference. I might think your tastes are strange, but I don’t try to change your taste buds just like you would not be able to change my taste buds. We like what we like, and it is not good or bad. Our taste does not demean the ice cream flavor or the ice cream maker.
What someone else says or thinks about me – or my talents, or my worth – falls into the same category. They are not the boss of me. In our instant gratification social media world where people “like” or “unfriend” you, we have opened our self-esteem to public critique. As a writer, this is something I am having to deal with. Anyone who posts to social media also experiences this as they are putting themselves “out there.” People like what they like – and we may just not be someone’s flavor of the day. It only determines our worth if we give their opinions weight and substance to do us harm.
In almost every big city or small town now there are homeless drunks and addicts on the street talking to themselves. Sometimes they even seem to be yelling and calling names at us. We don’t take it personally. We feel sad, but we realize that they are soul-sick, or having a bad day. We turn our attention away because there is nothing we can do about it. We don’t make them our Higher Power and think “Well, if they are saying that about me, it must be true.” Yet that is exactly what we do with our critics. We have given them the power to make us feel bad about ourselves – even if they may be soul-sick, having a bad day, or we are just not their preferred flavor.
Our problem is not letting go of our “unfriends” or what they say to us. Rather than finding our “peeps” – those that like our brand or flavor – we keep trying to please people who tell us they don’t like what we have to offer.
Centered Action
Find your supporters, community, and team. Surround yourself with people who respect and appreciate who you are and what you do. If those are not the people in your life – take a look at who you are choosing and claiming. You are the beautiful, magnificent child of Spirit and you deserve.
And if you can’t extricate yourself out of a disharmonious relationship yet – tell yourself and keep telling yourself, “I may not be their flavor preference – but my flavor – who I am – is exceptional.” Then you will be on the road to Harmony.
Be your most Magnificent Self…
Jody
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