Live your way
Societal and peer pressure is a very real thing. We all have experienced the weight of others’ expectations. Sometimes those presumptions don’t align with what we really want and need. Conflict, internal and external, can ensue.
If we don’t live according to generally accepted norms, we also may experience hardships. We may lose career opportunities, find it harder to make friends or to keep existing ones, disappoint loved ones, and come out on the difficult end of public scrutiny.
This can feel hurtful and frustrating. Why can’t we just be accepted as we are?
But painful as the judgment of others can be, it can be even more miserable to live our lives as others believe we should, particularly if we need or want something else. If we abandon our true self in the hopes of being accepted by others, we lose the acceptance and respect we need most—our own.
Today’s message advises that living to others’ standards won’t really make me happy. Only when I cherish and support who I am, as I am, will I be truly joyful in life.
Please reflect and share. Are you comfortable living your life your own way?