HAPPY NEW YEAR! Time for that "New Year, New Me" But not for me, New Year but SAME ME. Last year was a roller coaster but through it all, I survived. One of the major things that I did last year was to declutter, take a step back and not explain myself to anyone. Hence the title of this post: "My Lips Are Sealed"
One of the faults we may have as humans is taking in too much of the outside world. What I mean is, imagine you have a circle around you and yourself being in the centre of that circle, along with your family and those you hold close to you. Then outside from that circle is what you would call "The Outside World" and in that category would be people you're not so close to, those who don't know you on a personal basis. Now outside your circle (referring to the outside world) You may have people who may trash talk you or belittle you in some way (which is a form of bullying and abuse) Their motive is to break your circle. You have to understand that some people will go through extreme lengths to destroy your reputation, this is not a myth. It is a fact. So you have to be prepared for it. Now you being in your circle, have to think on where to invest your time? Will you:
A. Be focused on entertaining those who seek to destroy your peace and your circle?
B. Be focused on building a stronger YOU and protecting you, your peace and your circle?
If your answer is B. Well done. You chose wisely.
Not everything that comes your way needs a reaction. So if you are currently in this kind of a situation or you find yourself in one. Assess it then ask yourself questions like:
"Is it worth my time?" "Am I getting paid listening to the negative opinions of others?"
"Is it worth acknowledging?" "Does this help me progress?" "Do I need to prove myself to them?"
I would personally say "NO" to each of those and I hope you did too. I've developed a habit of being quite selective in who I get close to, what I say and do. Your own choices, decisions and the way you decide to live your life, is your business and yours alone. Be comfortable being your own company. Understand that there will be people who don't share the same view as you. It is always best to be sweet than be bitter. If there are stories about you in a negative light, let people believe what they want to. The main thing to learn is to train your mind to block out all the unnecessary things that doesn't help you grow and continue on your journey for yourself and your circle. Lastly, silence is always best. It literally is. You don't always have to have the last say. Silence is a great way to gather yourself and to refocus on what's important. It's not that you're weak, it's because there are greater things for you to pursue than arguing or letting something destroy the calm environment you have created for yourself. The one who makes the most noise usually is the foolish one, so it is wise to teach yourself to be silent when something doesn't need a reaction.
You don't need to explain yourself to anyone. Make your moves.
- CJM
