Stay Strong

Has anyone ever tried to put you down for any reason? If so, how did it make you feel? Some don't care about what others say, regardless of what's said. Many people, however, do care about what others think of them. If you do care, then the comments probably hurt to hear and know.

Ever since I could remember, I placed a lot of emphasis on what other people thought about me. Many times, the comments were positive. There were also many times when the comments were negative. I won't go into the logistics of the hurtful things that have been said to me or about me through someone else. I don't know why people are cruel, but I have faith that the experiences have helped me to be a strong person.

Throughout my life, I've wanted to excel at anything I did; I still do today. When I do well, it is applauded, but when I excel, others seem to have a way of diminishing my accomplishments. When I earned my Master's degree, one side of my family was happy for me. They congratulated me on a job well done. The other side of my family did not say a word to me about my accomplishment; they still won't. Recently, I attended an event. A couple people asked me where I worked. I stated the name of my employer. Instead of being happy for me, they decide to comment about the drive there, questioning the requirements of the position (Hello! I was hired for crying out loud!), and other comments that weren't positive. At this moment, I became irritated and frustrated. Why can't people just be happy for me?! Why do they try to diminish me?

The situation above is only a snippet of what I endure from other people. It's exhausting! Sometimes, it seems easier to throw in the towel and perform at an average level. People seem to be getting ahead in life by giving only what's required. However, I keep reminding myself that I am not average. I will overachieve in any situation and give more than "average."

If you are like me, or know of someone who's like me, then here's the best advice I can give to you. Surround yourself with positive people. Negative people who are miserable with their own lives don't want you to succeed. They want to bring you down to their level. Surrounding yourself with people who genuinely want you do succeed makes a huge difference. It's one of the best decisions I've made yet.