I've always been a rather confident guy. Once
I figured out that life was all about posturing,
I've tried to accentuate the positive in order to
eliminate the negative. However occasionally
my inner victim sneaks out and that's when
I get into trouble. Whether that's due to the
residual impact of childhood bullying or not,
even the best of us occasionally lose our way.
You see, all that most human beings crave is
to be liked and valued. Therefore when one
is confronted with the reality that somebody
simply doesn't like us, the majority of us fall
into a sodden heap of pitiful self doubt.
With a few exceptions, most of us feel the need
to win the popularity contest. Thus we simply
want to fit in and in the process be accepted by
those around us. One derives a sense of security
in being appreciated for who we are. In essence
said stamp of approval is the ultimate form of
empowerment. It enables one to rise above their
circumstances and move on to a better place.
Sans such a stamp of approval, it's quite easy
to lose one's mojo. Once that happens, it can be
even harder to regain your momentum. Thus
each of us are our own worst enemies. And in
the process only make it harder on ourselves.
How does one reverse such a downward trend?
That all depends on where the negativity comes
from. If driven by someone beyond our control,
one must decide how to react to such negative
influences. Often that's easier said than done
given we often have an inner voice ready and
waiting to reinforce the worst in us. Therefore
pulling out one's pom-poms is a challenging
game changer. While we all want to succeed,
we're equally vulnerable to negative influences.
Optimism and pessimism end on the same note.
Thus inevitably it's what's upfront that lead us
to a positive and optimal end conclusion.
Why do so many of us allow others to impact
our ability to succeed? In most cases all of the
naysayers have little to no skin in the game.
Therefore they can say and do whatever they
want with few ramifications. Whereas we've
spent our entire lives working to get where
we are today. Given nobody knows us better
than ourselves, theres really no reason to allow
others to think differently. When your enemies
attempt to rain on your parade, the best option
is to carry an umbrella while strutting your
stuff! If others are all about gloom and doom,
we must be the one who turns on the lights!
Looking on the bright side is the only way to
exit the darkness. When mired in the muck
of another's making we must do whatever
it takes to rise above it. While it's virtually
impossible to avoid a downward turn such
as a bad economy or adverse politics, we
can control our reaction. How we embrace
the situation is rarely as easy as it should
be. And yet overcoming against all odds is
often our only option. Allowing negative
forces to usurp our authority not only gives
them the power. It validates their existence.
And who wants that?! RISE AND SHINE!
