mindXposed Quote of the Week

"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

We all want to keep our images straight, hoping that people understand us and know who we truly are. However, sometimes the people we care about give us advice, or see us differently than how we see ourselves, and that's a conflict.

We metaphorically stunt our growth when we take into consideration what people think of us and make decisions based on how they feel rather than on how we feel. For instance, say you grew up playing a sport, and you're really into it. However, Mom and Dad think you'll be better off playing a different sport. You grow up not knowing just how great you could have been in the sport you love more than anything because you gave it up to do something else that did not suit you in order to keep them happy. Or you're not the drinking type, but you go to a party where everyone is liquored up. You don't want to be an outcast, so despite yourself, you get down with the party.

I could go on with examples, but I don't feel like it and you get the idea, I'm sure. There are millions I could go over, big and small. It ain't easy living up to your own expectations when the people you care about most have their own expectations of you, and they let it be known loud and clear that they don't like what you're doing, or they think you can do something they believe is better for you, even though you're content and you're not hurting anybody or yourself. Even the strongest people falter in order to make others happy, sacrificing what they want in order to keep their reputations right, or to keep up an "appearance" that they want others to see them as.

In this world, Emerson is straight up correct, being true to yourself takes work and is a serious accomplishment.

The Truth Floats Like a Butterfly, Stings Like a Bee

Let's get real here...

Truth is, you just can't sing.
Truth is, you do need to lose a couple of pounds.
Truth is, you're being controlled by your man.
Truth is, she'll never want to be with you.

Let's not string each other along just to keep each other happy. That's how we end up with so many tears on American Idol from people who can't carry a note if it was in a brown paper bag, but have been convinced that they're the next big thing. That's how we end up with people, who don't realize how big they are, running around in clothes three times too small (I'm not talking about people who are proud of their curves and wear clothes to accentuate them...I'm talking about the straight delusional!). That's how we end up with women who have been lied to, being told that their man is a good catch when everyone knows she's the dummy to his ventriloquist act. That's how we end up with people who chase the ones they love anywhere and everywhere until they're out of breath because the ones being chased don't want to hurt their feelings.

We don't have to be mean to tell the truth, but damn son...the truth must be told somehow! There are people out their who would rather walk on egg shells to keep a smile on someone's face rather than speak up about an issue they have with a person. Confrontation does not always lead to conflict. It can, however, and it should, lead to a resolution.

Sometimes we know the truth but it is just sooo effing hard to face that we become dishonest with ourselves. We convince ourselves that it's better to live a lie than to confront ourselves. We do know what's up, that there needs to be a change, but some of us need others to point that out and to point us in the proper direction. Some of us are too weak to face the truth even though we are very aware of what it is.

Here's something I've learned, even though it may be common sense and might come naturally to you...by facing the truth and really working on yourself to improve your life, you eliminate so much of the stress and headache of trying to live with that bad demon, the lurking shadow, the cloudy overcast. The truth is the light.

Sometimes it's not this serious, like the thing about singing. Sometimes we just really are convinced of something that just isn't true. But it's those things that we should just laugh about and roll off our shoulders.

None of us lead perfect lives and once in a while we gotta put each other in check...but gently. Otherwise, we may be seeing more people signing record deals who are overweight, wearing extra tight clothes, and do not have any business being played on the radio.

mindXposed Quote of the Week

"A person hears only what they understand." - Goethe

When it comes to listening to other people, we hear words but often twist them in our minds so that we comprehend those words in the best way we can understand. Sometimes we don't realize that we've twisted what was said into a different definition. Hence, arguments, wars, discrepancies, misunderstanding, miscommunication, etc.

It isn't that a person is ignorant or stupid and can't understand what's been said. It's just that how we've been brought up and what we've experienced influences what we hear. That's why racism and sexism exist. Actually, racism only exists in the minds of people who think coming from separate countries determines superiority. Sexism only exists in the minds of people who think what's between our legs determines who is the better sex. We live by what we best understand, by our beliefs, and by our personal levels of knowledge. We all grow up with our own sets of values, and oftentimes that is why we can't comprehend other people's behavior. "Good" and "bad" is arguable because we define things differently.

Goethe's one sentence basically summarizes how our world works, and how our minds disrupt and prevent peace.

mindXposed Quote of the Week

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." - Plato

Are you stressed out and taking it out on the woman driving too slow in front of you? Or maybe you're taking it out on the customer who is taking too long writing out that damn check. Why are people using checks anymore, anyway? Nah, maybe it's the cashier who just seems to have no patience. You're about to spend money in his store, so why is he rushing you, huh?

Hey, you never know what these people are going through, just like they don't know what's going on with you. Yeah, you got your issues and you can't deal with people, and you just want them all out of your way so you can do what you gotta do. Well, my dude, they're thinking the same thing about you.

Life ain't easy for any of us. So, let's not make it any more difficult than it has to be with stupid little arguments and misjudgments, please.

mindXposed Quote of the Week

"Every man I meet is my superior in some way. In that, I learn of him." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

I found this quote in Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People. I have yet to finish the book because I keep losing it, but I am halfway through, and now that it's in my possession again, I'll do my best to keep it in sight. But this isn't about the progress I am making in reading the book; this is about the quote. So let me continue...

Emerson made a great point, which I kind of touched upon in my post "Your Past..." in which I said that everyone, no matter how long or briefly you have known a person, has some kind of influence over you. Every person you come across is someone you can learn from, no matter where they came from or how far advanced they are in their formal education. In fact, the more different you are, the more you can learn.

Everyone's life experiences are different; therefore, you can take something valuable from someone else's story. Life is too short to experience everything ourselves, and human relationships and interaction are important in shaping who we are.

I absolutely love meeting new people and listening to stories. I am constantly learning. We have to humble ourselves in order to better ourselves. We cannot shrug off advice from a young child or from someone who quit high school. We cannot ignore the words of someone of a different religion or sexual orientation just because their beliefs or actions are not like ours.

We are no better than each other, and if we lived by what Emerson stated, imagine how much more intelligent and logical we would be as a whole. Imagine how much more understanding we would be of each other, and how much more grateful we would be for sharing this world with each other.