What if I told you, that it’s okay to NOT have everyone like you.
Historically many influential and now universally loved people were hated in their time. Jesus Christ, Abe Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., just to name a few.
Jesus spent his life spreading the word of God, of love, hope, and understanding. The stories of Jesus and lessons in the Bible are wholesome, they are human and real and raw. AND because of his conviction, Jesus was feared, loathed and ultimately crucified, because at the time he was not loved by all. He was feared by those that feared change, by small minds. But, he was loved by a few that made a deep and lasting impact. That impact that is still spreading throughout the world today.
We want everyone to like us.
People by default crave interaction. People are social creatures, often, far more than they should be. And as social creatures, we seek approval. We seek appreciation and respect from the people around us. Especially those that we connect with, interact with and view as friends.
Most of us wear our emotions on our sleeve, meaning we openly share probably sometimes over share what we are thinking and feeling. It’s the social media phenomenon we are experiencing right now. Seeking other peoples approval is a top social priority and a leading need right now. Everything we do is so public.
Someone unfriends us… holy crap the world just might be over… and then we go and have to talk about it. We question first ourselves, did we say or do something wrong? Then we question the other people and their motives.
Sometimes it doesn’t even have to do with like. Sometimes you have just outgrown people, or they’ve outgrown you. And that’s okay too, at least it means that people are growing.
People who frequently seek the attention and praise of others are looking for an external validation of themselves. Stop investing so much in everyone else’s opinions and be satisfied with what YOU do. Be satisfied with who you are! And stop worrying about if everyone likes you or not. It doesn’t matter. Be truly happy with yourself, people can take it or leave it. It won’t change your character or who you are, just like you cannot change them.
When you stop worrying about others opinions, you will find your true friends.
These are the people that stick with you no matter what, they are badasses, they SHOULD be your peers. After all, everyone needs approval – I do, you do, everyone. Just pick and choose wisely who your peers are because those are the people that will stretch and grow you. They will make you excellent.
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