Maybe you aren’t famous in the celebrity world, but each of us is known for something. Have you ever thought about what you are well known for? When people think about you, what are the first things that come to mind?
What are your highlights?
We shouldn’t care what others think of us. At the same time, we should care about what we stand for.
This thought came to mind when I was thinking about a friend who passed away not long ago. He loved fishing. If anyone spoke about this person, they would often mention his obsession with being at the lake. He often stayed to himself and never mingled into anyone’s business. He loved simplicity.
Have you ever been in a store, or driving down the road and seen something that automatically brings someone to mind?
Who’s the handyman in your life (you know, the person you can call before you need the plumber)? Who is always traveling, or out in nature? Perhaps you can automatically have someone come to mind when you think of their military service, or love of gardening. Some people love certain styles or brands of clothing. When you see ‘Calvin Klein’ on someone’s shirt, that one person comes to mind. Others are known for their dancing, or love of animals. Maybe even a specific animal, like a kangaroo or koala. My aunt used to love owls and even had a collection. Every time I see one, I immediately think of her. We all have that person in our lives who has a collection of antiques, or maybe cars, or something dear to their heart. We all know people who are big on certain sports teams, television shows, or other forms of entertainment. You have that squeaky clean friend who spends days sweeping and dusting, or the cousin who is always baking up something.
What I’m referring to goes beyond these types of things, though. We are also known for our behaviors and actions. This can be in private, public settings, or on social media. Someone is always anxious or upset about something. There’s always a finger point or gossip flow. You may know the mirror gazer or, in this day and age — the selfie queen/king. There are the bullies who love to down other people or point out the worst of things. There are those who have great wisdom that they love to share, usually thought well of by those who know them. We have people in our lives who are always celebrating something, and then there are those who go to the point of bragging and overload!
The purpose of this blog wasn’t to get you thinking about who has done you wrong, or to be negative about others. It’s to make you think about taking a moment to examine yourself. What messages are you sending? Are you standing for what you mean to stand for? Do you engage in things that you should be freed from? Should you start changing some of the settings you find yourself in? Should you reconsider some of the things you post about, or the ways in which you respond to things?
Maybe Tiffany doesn’t get invited to many things because she is always talking about her ex boyfriend Mark (from five years ago) and what went wrong. Tiffany has a lot to offer the world if she begins to focus on moving forward to better things. We can get stuck in a rut.
In life, are you a divider or a person who brings others together? What and who do you promote? What should you speak more about that you don’t, and where might you be able to be more private (that people just don’t need to know about)? Do you remind people of what others did wrong to them, or do you encourage them and express what you find great about them?
We can all be a little kinder and wiser! We can all show a little more compassion. It’s great to have our likes and interests. It makes us who we are. But it’s important to live a life with the fewest regrets possible! Stand for something that is good and brings more life. Speak life, not death. Add positivity. Multiply love, peace, and joy! We are all filled with the potential to make the world a better place. So why not?